77
Self-awareness
Well, first, we must admit the possibility that the wand did choose Umbridge because of her height. Though uncommon, this does happen, presumably for the same reasons as truly long wands (ease of use).
That said, Umbridge's character is certainly very deficient. She lacks basic kindness, and she indeed has poor taste, as evidenced by her ...
72
But the wand was perfectly intact when Ron had it (before the Whomping Willow incident anyway). And as far as I can tell, there was nothing else deficient about the wand.
I wouldn’t quite agree with that.
The very first time we actually see the wand (not when Ron describes it, but a bit later on the same train ride when he tries to turn Scabbers yellow), it’...
53
The text suggests that even Harry didn’t know for sure that he’s right.
“So it all comes down to this, doesn’t it?” whispered Harry. “Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does... I am the true master of the Elder Wand.”
And then the text describes him as “hoping.”
A red-gold glow burst suddenly across the ...
49
You've fundamentally over-estimated the potential cost of the materials required to make a wand.
In terms of the cores that Ollivander prefers, dragon heartstrings are likely to be relatively inexpensive if bought from the right (overseas) suppliers and unicorn hair and phoenix feathers can be picked up for free if one knows the correct locations. Similarly, ...
48
Broken wands can be used to perform magic
Hagrid's wand was snapped by the Ministry of Magic. Yet, that didn't stop him from giving Dudley a pig's tail.
Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, “NEVER —” he
thundered, “— INSULT — ALBUS — DUMBLEDORE — IN — FRONT — OF — ME!” He
brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at ...
47
The Elder Wand is unique in how fickle it is. There are countless times that we see witches and wizards in the books "defeated" by others, and they don't have any trouble using their wands later on (or in some cases, any more trouble than they already had [Neville, after Hermione's Full Body-Bind in SS]). Lockhart and Snape duel each other, and the kids in ...
47
J.K. Rowling has answered your first question:
Stephanie: If the wand chooses the wizard, then why do wands work when passed down from father to son, e.g. Neville had his father's wand
J.K. Rowling: As established by Ollivander, a wizard can use almost any wand, it is simply that a wand that chooses him/her will work best. Where there is a family ...
43
If anyone'd have gotten a wand early, it would surely have been Draco "The rules don't apply here" Malfoy.
Yet, he got his wand before going to Hogwarts, or at least that's what Philosopher's Stone implies:
"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"
"Yes," said Harry.
"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street
looking at wands," ...
43
She has a wand, but it's unclear how she got it.
Bellatrix did get a wand after hers was stolen. It's unclear how exactly she got it, but it isn't mentioned as being anyone else's wand, like Narcissa's or Draco's. In the movie, we see her new wand, and it doesn't look anything like any of the Death Eaters' wands.
There are several ways she could have ...
43
Based on the known wands in the Wizarding World we can come up with the following information:
Max Length: 18"
Min Length: 7"
Average Length: 10.92" (not an actual wand length because wands lengths are in 1/4" increments)
Median Length: 10.375" (not an actual wand length because wands lengths are in 1/4" increments)
Mode Length:...
42
That effect only happens with twin core wands forced to duel.
Fawkes himself, as a living phoenix, would be inherently different than either the Dark Lord’s or Harry’s wand with one of Fawkes’s feathers. The twin-core effect seems to only come into play when two wizards with wands with a core from the exact same source use those wands against each other. It ...
40
A thestral tail hair.
From J.K. Rowling’s website:
I decided that the core of the Elder Wand is the tail hair of a Thestral; a powerful and tricky substance that can be mastered only by a witch or wizard capable of facing death.
This is backed up by a comment in an interview:
MA: Speaking of the Elder Wand...
JKR: Yeah?
MA: Can we talk about wandlore a ...
40
According to Dumbledore's own notes in The Tales of Beedle The Bard, most wands are buried "or burned" with their owners (page 102 UK version).
The general practice of burying (or burning) the wand
with its owner, once he or she has died, also tends
to prevent any individual wand learning from too
many masters.
They must be resistant to the fire ...
39
We know the cost of Harry's wand.
He paid seven gold Galleons for his wand and Mr Ollivander bowed them from his shop.
Pottermore
38
In Weighing of the Wands, Ollivander quite clearly takes Fleur's wand into his hand, and then inspects it.
Fleur Delacour swept over to Mr Ollivander, and handed
him her wand.
‘Hmmm ...’ he said.
He twirled the wand between his long fingers like a baton
and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks. Then he held
it close to his eyes and ...
36
There are two factors that led to Voldemort's defeat. One is, as you've noted, his failure to master the Elder Wand. But the other is the failure of all of his spells after he cast Avada Kedavra on Harry.
Because Harry died to save his friends, he and they received the same kind of magical protection that Harry bore after his mother died to save him. The ...
36
Both
Wands work by channeling magic. When the wand is broken, it ceases to be an effective channel.
When Harry's wand breaks in Deathly Hallows, it becomes more or less unusable until the Elder Wand repairs it.
The holly and phoenix wand was nearly severed in two. One fragile strand of phoenix feather kept both pieces hanging together. The wood had ...
36
No, you've misunderstood the quote.
JKR isn't saying that the result would be violent because violence is what lies inside a Muggle (though it does sound like something the Malfoys might come up with) but that the result of a Muggle using a wand would be uncontrolled because the Muggle lacks the ability to control magic - that's the power that lies inside a ...
34
Pottermore has a bit more information about wandlore specifically relating to the creation of wands in elder wood.
According to Ollivander himself, wandmakers tend to avoid it because;
It's difficult to work with.
It's perceived to be unlucky (which means they're difficult to sell).
The wands are notoriously disloyal.
Only the most exceptional wizards ...
34
In the book the 'wand choosing' is simply accompanied by a lack of action until he finds the correct wand.
Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.
‘Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try –’
Harry tried – but he had hardly raised the wand when it,...
32
No.
The magic comes from the wizard, not the wand.
As Ollivander says:
Oh yes, if you are any wizard at all you will be able to channel your magic through almost any instrument.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 24, The Wandmaker - Page 402 - Bloomsbury
So unless the wizard runs out of power, which I very highly doubt, no.
A wand can hold ...
31
I don't think there are any definite answers. I've drawn together what canon information I can find, and added my own speculation.
When?
Probably in the BC era, but it's not clear exactly when. The original wand probably bears little resemblance to the modern device, but the key aspects would be the same.
Ollivander’s
In Philosopher's Stone, when Harry ...
31
Yes, a muggle can do something with a wand.
According to the brand new "History of American Magic" writings on Pottermore, a muggle (from a family described as being descended from wizards, but possessing no magic) was able to use a wand in a semi-controlled fashion
Bartholomew had disseminated his leaflets widely, and a few newspapers
had taken him ...
31
When a witch or wizard first buys their first wand, they have no real experience with their magic. They do not know how to use their magical ability, nor do they know how to use the wand as a focus for it.
When they find a well-matched wand, it accepts their magic easier than a wand that is a poor match. It feels like a part of them because it almost is - ...
31
Since we are dealing with magic, the tape measure may have been gathering something more than physical measurements.
Many wandmakers simply match the wand length to the size of the witch or wizard who will use it, but this is a crude measure, and fails to take into account many other, important considerations. In my experience, longer wands might suit ...
30
Not all sentences to Azkaban are life sentences. Igor was released for selling out other Death Eaters. Hagrid was released after it was proven that he wasn't involved in the Chamber of Secrets incidents. Sturgis Podmore served six months for breaking into the Ministry of Magic. Morfin Gaunt originally served 3 years, but was later framed for murder and ...
28
The principle seems to be that broken wands can't be repaired. It's testament to the enormous power of the Elder Wand that it can perform feats of magic that are beyond the norm.
Ron was having far worse problems. He had patched up his wand with
some borrowed Spellotape, but it seemed to be damaged beyond repair - HP: CoS
and
‘No,’ whispered ...
27
They're expected to get a wand only when they start at Hogwarts.
The Hogwarts acceptance letter that Harry received says:
Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
[...]
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
This letter was in the form that such ...
27
They’d likely get a secondhand wand.
Though it’s not what most wizards would consider optimal, and it wouldn’t be quite as good to cast spells with as a new wand that chose them, wizards who can’t afford to buy a wand that chose them could buy or otherwise get a secondhand wand instead.
“Most witches and wizards prefer a wand that has “chosen” them to any ...
27
No, Muggles can’t use wands.
Muggles can’t use wands, whatever their moral alignment or personal feelings towards violence. As Dumbledore explains in his notes on “Babbitty Rabbitty and the Cackling Stump”, the violent reaction comes from within the wand itself, as wands can hold residual power that may be discharged from the wand.
“While the “rogue” ...
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