”I really hope you get a cherry wood wand. ” his mother asserted as the whole family ventured through the streets of Diagon Alley to purchase all their school and non-school supplies. ”But it would be… pink… that’s for girls!” The prospective buyer objected. It was his first wand, and Gareth had seen those of his closest relatives. There were black or white ones, elegant, refined. But no pink, come on! ”That’s not true at all. It’s a very intense color, but not that pink. I think it would suit you.” ”It’s not the wood that matters, but the core, and there’s nothing better than dragon hearthstring for a Prince’s wand.” His father intervened, the most calm of all on the matter.
”Dragon and cherry… I heard during my trip to Japan that it's the most popular combination there. And the most feared.” She almost seemed more excited than Gareth to find a wand, that if she could, she'd probably steal the work of the sales assistant at Elder & Ash. ”If you really want a dark color, you can always transfigure it, and then there will be lots of special handles to add and…” ”And don't forget to ask for everything you need to keep your companion clean. “ His father cut her off, giving his son a light pat on the shoulder, as if to push him into the shop. Immediately afterward, his other hand would have shot out to take his wife's shoulder; she had to stay outside with him, otherwise there probably wouldn't be a shop left.
And so Gareth entered the wand shop, the last on the list of the tour, but definitely the most important of all. That's why he'd left it for last, to make the moment even more special. ”Is it allowed?” He asked, trying to interact with the clerk. ”I’m here for my first wand.”
LINK to Application: https://knockturnbound.net/showthread.php?tid=1084
Pick a Creature:
Dragon
What type of magic appeals to you:
Protection spells
Most Proud of trait:
Of thinking outside the box.
Which subject would you do best in
Defense Against the Dark Arts
How would you describe yourself: (pick as many as you want)
Resilient
Courageous
Strong Willed
After Hogwarts, what would you like to do:
Auror
What are you afraid of:
(Fill in the blank) Chains and prisons
“Good day to you! Welcome to Elder and Ash, I am Bernadette…Hmm… Or Bernie or Miss Hawthorn or Witchy McWitchface,” she titters with laughter, high and squeaky. “Don’t you fret, I will answer to just about anything… Except Clyde.” She shakes her head emphatically. “HE is a bowtruckle and can be quite persnickety, so watch your eyeballs, he likes to poke.” She nods at the young student, as if what she said was the most important piece of knowledge to take away from this conversation.
“Can I assume you are here to find your wand? Yes!? Of course! Good Good.” Not waiting for a response, Bernie comes around the counter and begins measuring the patron who just entered her shop. Lifting this arm and that, measuring each individual finger, kneeling and quickly measuring their feet, then popping back up to look deeply, and awkwardly into their eyes. “Fascinating. Did you know a quarter of the bones in your body are in your hand? No?! I didn't think so. OK! Let’s find you a wand. Pop Pop!”
Bernie ran around the shop, spitting out random nonsense facts that most people really didn’t need to know. “Did you know that your left lung is slightly smaller than your right? Did ya? Nope. Why? To make room for your heart? Awwww, so sweet.”
“Ok, let's try this one on for size.” Coming down from a ladder with multiple boxes haphazardly clutched in her arms. One attempts to jump out of her arms, but she manages to keep them all balanced.
Handing the wand over to the student, Bernie steps back a touch so that she isn’t in the line of fire.. It was rare to find a match with the first box, but it could be done. “Go on then,” she said, waving her hands about. “Give it a flick.”
I’m trying something a little different, so you have more say in the making of your wand. Below you will find the descriptions of multiple wand woods and cores that I think work well for your character. Take a look at the combinations.
In your next post you can find your perfect wand using the options provided, or pick a less than stellar option and blow something up in the shop. Bernie doesn’t mind. At the end of your post, put an OOC with your FAVORITE combo and if you are finding it in the first go, or if you want to RP a few duds first. If you think I got your character wrong, message me so we can work on it together. When I post I will add the size and flexibility HAVE FUN!!
WAND WOOD
Cherry
Cherry chooses individuals who possess remarkable discipline and emotional control. They often appear calm under pressure, preferring careful precision over reckless displays of power. While capable of extraordinary magic, they rarely use it carelessly.
Ebony
Ebony chooses witches and wizards who remain true to themselves regardless of outside pressure. Its owners are fiercely independent, confident in their convictions, and unwilling to compromise their principles simply to gain approval. They often walk paths few others are willing to follow.
Laurel
Laurel chooses those driven by excellence. Its owners possess strong work ethics and refuse to settle for mediocrity. Though often ambitious, they value honor as much as success, believing achievement means little if earned dishonestly.
Kaya
Kaya chooses brilliant minds who find beauty in logic and structure. Its owners possess exceptional discipline and intellectual curiosity, often preferring knowledge over recognition. They are methodical, analytical, and happiest when solving problems others consider impossible.
WAND CORE
Runespoor Fang
A Runespoor Fang wand chooses individuals driven by intellect and ambition in equal measure. Its owners rarely settle for mediocrity and constantly seek greater knowledge and influence. While many become Dark witches and wizards, the core itself values determination and cunning above morality.
Acromantula Web
An Acromantula Web wand rarely chooses someone who fears difficult decisions. Its owners tend to weave elaborate plans, think several steps ahead, and possess remarkable patience. While not inherently dark, they are often willing to cross ethical boundaries in pursuit of their goals.
Boomslang Venom
Boomslang wands favor intelligent witches and wizards who solve problems through careful planning rather than brute force. They often possess sharp minds and remarkable adaptability under pressure.
Basilisk Scale
Very few Basilisk wands ever choose benevolent owners. They gravitate toward witches and wizards who crave influence, mastery, and absolute control. While not every owner becomes dark, nearly all are intensely ambitious.
The arrival of the shop assistant was like witnessing one of those summer storms: they blow in, make a huge racket —sometimes causing a lot of damage— and then vanish in a flash. Gareth didn’t even have time to process the woman’s name — she’d given him three different ones, or something like that — but he didn’t feel up to asking her to repeat it all more slowly. The only thing that mattered, though, was knowing: “Who is Clyde?” What dark beast was lurking in that shop, dangerous enough to earn such a warning? A bird? A cat? A sentient wand, angry at never being chosen by anyone?
He had barely managed to ask the question when the assistant lunged at him, taking all sorts of measurements. What on earth did the length of his feet have to do with anything? He felt himself blushing as she knelt before him, but he tried to avoid looking at her, focusing instead on a particular wand box on the high shelf to the left, one that was jutting out just a little. Was there a cobweb on it, or was he imagining things? He tried to turn toward the shop window, just to see if he could catch his parents' eyes. Were they seeing all this chaos? Was it normal to have so many measurements taken?
When the woman stepped away from him and climbed a ladder, darting between the shelves, Gareth finally managed to breathe a sigh of relief. Her rapid speech and even faster hands were making him uncomfortable. Everything was so… so untidy, so chaotic! Even watching her move from shelf to shelf made him uneasy. She seemed positively manic!
Then she returned with several boxes in her arms, handing him one at random from the pile she held—or at least, it seemed like a random choice to him. She must have been using some method of selection completely unknown to him. The wand had a nice handle, though perhaps a bit too smooth for his taste and a little too plain overall. It also had a faint pinkish hue that didn't quite appeal to him, but it was worth a try—cherry wood and Runespoor fang.
He examined it for a moment. It felt... fine, but nothing special; it was no different from holding any random twig from the park. Perhaps just a fraction heavier. “Um, okay… so…” He turned slightly to avoid hitting the shop assistant, the boxes, or anything else in the store, then, aiming for the corner that looked the least cluttered, he tried to perform one of the many wand movements he’d seen his family use. A basic spell a swish and flick. As he did, he felt the wand vibrate, almost rebelling against his will, before it spat out uncontrolled greenish sparks that fell to the floor like smoldering, smoking embers. “Um… I’m sorry…”
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I never considered these combos, but fell in love with the Laurel - Basilisk Scale one, so I will get that as my wand in the next post. I keep this post to be somewhat of a failure.
“OH MY MERLIN! That was NOT the one.” Snatching it out of his hand, she stomped on the ground to make sure all the green fire was put out. A shop full of wood was not a great place for a fire. Magic or not. Bernie packaged the wand up gingerly, folding the gauze ribbon over the wand as if it were a sleeping baby. The box was carefully placed on the back counter under a sign that read “NOPE!” Those would be cleaned and checked for damage before returning to the shelf.
“Ok, let me think, let me think. Hmm..” Turning abruptly, Bernie went to stare at the poor young soul in her shop. Arms crossed, fingers tapping thoughtfully on her chin. After a couple rotations around the student, she stopped and closed one eye… Then the other. “Did you know there are no muscles in your fingers? No? Shocking! Well… you do now. Ok, I think I have an option.” Skipping up a ladder and over a short walkway Bernie grabbed without even looking and popped down the ladder, coming to stop behind the counter.
“Ok, let's see if this one causes less destruction! One can only hope.” She said with a roll of her eyes and a sigh. Although, looking at the box in her hands, she had a feeling that it would be a miss. He was a strange enough case where a strange mix of wand wood and core might just be a winner. Not one to shy away from the weird, Bernie opened the box and handed it over to the young man. "Ebony wood with an Acromantula Web core. 12 inches and Rigid."
Ok, after this failure I will post your chosen wand! Have fun and feel free to blow some stuff up.
Seeing the embers flare up on the shop’s wooden floor left him completely frozen, save for a few mumbled apologies that did nothing to douse the fire he had accidentally started. It was the shop assistant who took action, snatching the wand from his hand and extinguishing the embers with her foot. Even then, he remained motionless, staring at the scene with a vacant look, as if he weren't really there.
He was the one who had done it. Inadvertently, of course, due to a wand with which he shared no affinity with, but the fact remained. He had nearly set the shop ablaze. A lump formed in his throat as he imagined Aurors swarming in to apprehend the young, not-yet-a-student pyromaniac who had committed such a heinous crime. His reputation, and his family’s, would go up in smoke, just like the shop. He was overreacting, and wildly so, but no one had ever told him that accidents like this were normal. ”I’m sorry… I… I didn’t mean to…”
He offered no resistance as the wand was taken from his hand, simply following the shop assistant with his gaze; she now seemed to be darting around the store so frantically that he could barely keep up. He wasn't sure he’d understood her latest bit of trivia about finger muscles, and, before he knew it, a new wand was waiting for him on the counter. The deep black of the ebony was elegant and striking, yet the mere sight of it made him feel as though he were caught in the grip of invisible, sticky spiderwebs. He swallowed hard. ”Are you sure? I’d hate to… to cause another disaster…” he ventured, pausing a moment to see if she agreed. Then, summoning his courage, he reached out toward the wand.
His hand slid over the wood, which felt ice-cold to the touch, perhaps even too hard and brittle at the same time, as if a mere squeeze might snap it in two. He turned it over in his hand, admiring it, yet something told him it wasn't the right one. Was it a sixth sense, or simply paranoia stemming from what had just happened? ”Okay… well… here it goes…” He pointed the wand away from anyone who might get hurt and gave it a slight wave. The wand itself sprang to life, unleashing a powerful gust of wind that shook the nearest furniture and sent sheets of paper and parchment flying into the air; the resulting whirlwind swept up the now-empty wand box, its ribbon, and even the sheet where the assistant had noted down his measurements. At least there was no fire this time. ”I… don’t think this is the one.”
“SWEET BABY CLYDE, that was NOT IT.” Taking the wand in hand, Bernie once again put it away with care, then placed it in the NOPE! Pile to be dealt with later. Happy that the shop was still standing, but frustrated that it had taken so long to find the right match.
Leaning on the counter, she looked at the student closely. Studying everything from their hair color, eye color, freckles or glasses. It all went into finding the right wand. “You know…” she said thoughtfully. “There is this one, but I wouldn’t have thought…” trailing off her sentence.
This was a fascinating case. One that was more puzzling than she would like to admit. Walking into the back room with no more words spoken, you could hear her rummaging around in the stacks looking for something. It took considerably more time for this round, one might even think she had given up and walked away, but then she came out of the back.
There were two wand boxes in her hands. She took one and looked at it carefully, then the other. Then back to the first. Ultimately, the wand box in her left hand was put on the counter, while the one in her right was added to the nope pile.
“Ok, I think this may be the one. It’s a bit more… shall we say… unexpected, but, let's see if it’s the one.”
Handing it over, Bernie looked both excited and terrified to see what would happen next. Stepping backwards one step... then another... and another, she managed to position herself behind the counter. As the boy took the wand in hand, she very slowly shrunk down for a bit of extra protection.
Laurel wood with a Basilisk Scale core, 12in and Swishy
Laurel
Laurel chooses those driven by excellence. Its owners possess strong work ethics and refuse to settle for mediocrity. Though often ambitious, they value honor as much as success, believing achievement means little if earned dishonestly.
Basilisk Scale
Very few Basilisk wands ever choose benevolent owners. They gravitate toward witches and wizards who crave influence, mastery, and absolute control. While not every owner becomes dark, nearly all are intensely ambitious.
Swishy < slightly harder to learn and cast, just slightly more powerful
The wand was whisked away as fast as the wind, not by the magic he had inadvertently unleashed, but by the shop assistant’s hand. Apparently, that wasn't the right wand for him either; yet this time, it wasn't the mess he’d caused, which he tried to help clean up by bending down to gather scattered papers and the like, that unsettled him, but rather the assistant’s stern look. Was the situation really that serious?
That gaze fixed upon him, as if he were a heinous criminal being watched while awaiting the arrival of Aurors, and her menacing words: everything in those last few seconds boded ill. He swallowed hard before finding the courage to ask, "Is it that serious?" There was no answer, which was even worse, but he watched as the assistant disappeared behind the counter.
He finished gathering everything from the floor and placed it on the counter in a pile as tidy as possible for someone who didn't want to pry into other people's writings; indeed, he was certain he wouldn't even be able to read that handwriting. He stole a glance toward the back room to see if the girl was there, he couldn't even hear her moving across the creaky floorboards, but she didn't seem inclined to return to the front. Had he gone too far? His father made magic look so simple; why had he caused such a disaster?
He tried to wait patiently; then he began pacing the front of the shop and peering at the pile of discarded wands, wondering what would become of them. Finally, he turned to look outside, where his parents seemed to have struck up a conversation with a witch they knew. There were other passersby out there. Had they all faced the same struggle finding a wand? Or was he simply hopeless at magic? What a disgrace!
Minutes that felt like hours dragged by before the shop assistant reappeared with two wands, still undecided about which one to let him try. She looked at him, then at the wands, and he did the same, hesitating. If the assistant wasn't sure, how could he possibly feel at ease after what he had just done?
A deep, rich brown caught his eye. It was the wand being held out to him. There was something about that shade of brown, a flash of emerald, perhaps, or the vertical pupil of some predator. He couldn't quite say why he felt that way. Was it fear? Fear of causing another disaster? Of being bitten by a predator? No, it was something else. Respect. Scrutiny. Anticipation.
He hadn’t even noticed the shop assistant stepping back, shielding herself as if bracing for the worst. His attention was fixed on that beast clad in an elegant hue. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before the future student took the first step, reaching out to lay his hand upon the wand’s wood. It was a mix of fearful respect and firm resolve, much like the attitude his mother always said one had to adopt when dealing with wild beasts. The contact sent a shiver through him. Was it cold, fear, or pleasure? He couldn't say. It felt as though something were washing over him, yet the more his hand wrapped around the wood, the less afraid he felt. That shiver was just right, it was mutual respect, like two puzzle pieces finally clicking into place. There was a sense of satisfaction, somehow. It was as if he knew, as if they both knew. One could master the other’s fire, and the other could tame the beast.
He studied it for a moment in a state of almost ritualistic contemplation. Then, he turned back toward the safer zone, though he was certain he wouldn't need it this time. He waved the wand through the air, and the thrill of power intensified. His soul crackled with electricity as his heart pumped that energy toward his shoulder, then down his arm and hand, right into the wand. There, it came to a halt, humming faintly. Nothing had happened. He possessed the power to avoid causing damage. This is the one he declared, admiring it. ” I mean, I think so... er, I feel it... I don't know how to explain. It feels... right. " Only then, turning back to the counter, did he notice the shop assistant was no longer fully in view. Where had she gone?
At the boys words Bernie popped up like a jack n the box, clapping with glee. It was very exciting when a child found their first wand. Something to be celebrated.
“OH GOOD FUN! We have a winner! When you know, you know dear boy. Don't overthink it.” Bernie sings, dancing a jig behind the counter. “That is fantastic! And you kept destruction to a minimum. Thanks for that, I appreciate the restraint.”
Flitting around behind the counter, mumbling to herself while pulling a few things out here and there. “Ok, ARE YOU LISTENING?!” Green eyes wide, red hair fluffed out with her exertion. “I hope you are…” She said slowly, looking at the student carefully. “Here are the things you will need. FIRST!” She said with a flourish, “is your wand holster. You may strap it to your leg, or arm, sew it into clothing or use a pocket on the inside of your robes. DO NOT EVER! Put it in your back pocket. No No No. That's how little Tommy blew off a butt cheek. Yes he did. Big tadoo.” She trailed off, shaking her head at the poor unfortunate state of little Tommy.
“NEXT! Here is a jar of polish and a rag. Keep. Your. Wand. CLEAN! Do not make me say it again. It is important. And don’t even get me started on using it to pick your nose or itch your ear.” Wide green eyes met those of the student, her hands went up over her head, miming an explosion, “Boom!”
“AND THIRD! Wait… What's the third thing… umm, OH YES! Silly me. Have fun dear. Be good at Hogwarts, eat your veggies and stay away from the East Wing, I hear it’s haunted.” She gave them a knowing smile and walked away. As her back turned to the student, a small green leggy creature could be seen hanging on to her hat. Little Clyde, watching over his favorite human.
So that was how it worked: when the magic flowed and did exactly what you wanted, like not destroying the shop, then it was the right match. Yes, that made sense. The whole "the wand chooses the wizard" concept made a bit less sense, but it wasn't his job to question the mechanics of it, however interesting they might seem. The alchemy between woods and cores, and all the talk about a wand’s length, thickness, and sturdiness was fascinating. He had wanted to ask something, but the shop assistant launched into a spiel about something else entirely, and the question vanished from his mind before he could even give it voice.
”Speaking of which,” he said, stepping back toward the counter and placing his new companion in its original box. ”I’d like a bit more information. How often does it need cleaning? After every use? At the end of the day? Once a week? Does it get damaged if I clean it too much? Is it okay to get it wet? What happens if I drop it and it chips? How often should a professional check it?” He had so many questions about his new companion, almost like a parent with their firstborn, and he poured them all out to the shop assistant, almost as if the roles had reversed, or perhaps because he’d caught the woman’s rapid-fire way of speaking making it his.
”Also, I’d like the best products you have available, for instance, if there’s a specific cloth or polish for this particular type of wood, and so on. As for the holster, could you show me what models are available? I’d like to find the most comfortable one…“ After all, it had to be tried on just like clothes, didn’t it? If he was going shopping, he wanted the absolute best he could afford; and while his family wasn’t the wealthiest in England, they had enough money to spare for something truly important like a magic wand. ”And regarding consumables like the polish, is it possible to get a few containers? Say… two or three, just to stock up. Maybe two specific ones and one that’s a bit more general-purpose? I wouldn’t want to run out once I’m at Hogwarts.“
As the shop assistant busied herself gathering everything he needed, and he counted out the coins he owed for all the purchases, the original question crossed his mind again: ”Also… I don’t mean to pry into shop business… but could you tell me why you were so frightened? I understand about the shop being wrecked, and I’m truly sorry about that, but when you brought out this wand, you looked terrified… Is there something wrong, something I ought to know about it?“
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