The World of Harry Potter Wands | Every Wand Core
Harry Potter Basic Course: Every Wand Core Explained
Wands – the most important tool in the world of Harry Potter. They help witches and wizards channel their magic and are far more than just magical wooden sticks. In this post, we'll take you on a journey through every known wand core the magical world has to offer.
The magic of wands: More than just wood and shine
Already in the first book, we are introduced to Ollivander's Wand Shop – and the magic behind it: It's not the wizard who chooses the wand, but the wand that chooses its owner . Each wand has its own character – characterized by:
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The type of wood
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The length
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The flexibility
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And above all: the core
The core is the heart of the wand. It determines its strength, precision, and the relationship with the owner. Ollivander , arguably Britain's most famous wandmaker, relies primarily on three legendary core materials: phoenix feather, unicorn hair, and dragon heartstring .
The three main cores of Ollivander
🐉 Dragon Heartstring
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Considered one of the most powerful cores ever.
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Learns quickly, performs complex spells.
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Prone to accidents – temperamental!
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Can change allegiance more easily than other cores.
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Has a certain affinity for dark magic .
🦄 Unicorn hair
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Particularly reliable and stable.
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Creates consistent magic – ideal for magicians with a calm nature.
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Difficult to use for dark magic.
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Very loyal to the first owner.
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Less powerful in absolute performance, but extremely reliable.
🔥 Phoenix feather
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Very versatile in its application.
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Shows initiative and can act independently .
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Picky in choosing the owner.
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Comes from one of the rarest and noblest magical beings.
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Often takes more time to develop its full power.
Lesser-known wand cores
In addition to the three classics, there are a whole range of other, often exotic materials. Here's the complete list:
🌿 Veha hair
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Of elegant, half-human beings with white-gold hair.
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Very temperamental.
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Possibly used by Gregorovich.
🐍 Basilisk Horn
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Rare and extremely powerful core.
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Used by Salazar Slytherin.
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Perfect for Parseltongue speakers and dark magic.
🐾 Wampus cat hair
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Magical creature from North America.
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Symbol for a house of Ilvermorny.
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Gives strength and instinct.
🌩️ Thunderbird Feather
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Related to the phoenix.
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Can summon storms .
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Symbolizes another Ilvermorny house.
🐉 Snallygaster heart fiber
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Magical creature from the USA.
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Rare, but powerful.
🐺 Rugaru hair
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By a werewolf-like creature.
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Strong, but with a possible tendency towards dark magic.
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Used by Violetta Beauvais (USA).
🦇 Thestral Hair
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Of the winged horse of death.
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Used in the Elder Wand.
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Extremely powerful, but difficult to control.
🧌 Trollbeard
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Rather inferior, but functional.
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Comes from trolls – rough, but usable.
🌱 Dittany stem
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Only known plant kernel .
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Heals wounds, has a regenerating effect.
🐍 Horn of the Horned Serpent
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Highly sensitive to Parseltongue .
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Warns of danger due to deep vibration.
🐟 Stinger of the White River Monster
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Magical fish from Arkansas.
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Casts elegant and powerful spells.
💀 Bones
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Different bone types possible.
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Sometimes combined with additional cores.
🐚 Shell (e.g. mussel)
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Example: Newt Scamander's wand.
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Unusual, but effective.
🪸 Coral
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Used by Grigorovich.
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Magic corals as core material.
🧚 Kurupira hair
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From Brazilian forest creatures.
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Unstable, but extraordinary.
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Only suitable for particularly gifted magicians.
🌊 Kelpie hair
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From the shapeshifting water demon.
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Not recommended by Ollivander – too unreliable.
Conclusion: Every magic wand is unique
The choice of wand is no coincidence. Every core, every wood, and every length represents something—characteristics, talents, and potential. Whether you want to create your own wand or simply delve deeper into the magical world, this overview will help you get started.
📌 Did you know? There are at least 20 different wand cores in the Harry Potter universe—many of them outside of Hogwarts and Europe.
👉 If you enjoyed this post, check back soon! More articles on the world of magic, the founders of Hogwarts, types of wand wood, and the history of magic are already in preparation.