Pevensie Appendix

[ Lore: Wands ]

In chapter 3, the Pevensies and Caspian go to Ollivander's to get their wands. Below, I first provided some wand lore adapted from J.K. Rowling's Pottermore article on Ollivander's wands. At the end of this section, you can find a reminder of what each of the characters wands are made of/look like. Enjoy!

 [ Wand Cores ] 

Unicorn hair: consistent magic, difficult to turn to the dark arts, faithful, not most powerful, prone to melancholy

Dragon heartstring: powerful, flamboyant spells, learn quickly, can change allegiance easily, temperamental, easily turned to the dark arts

Phoenix feather: great range of magic, take initiative, picky to owners, allegiance is hard won, hard to tame and personalize

[ Wand Length ] 

Wand lengths are also a contributing factor. Wands are typically between 9 and 14 inches.

Longer: taller owners; bigger personalities; spacious and dramatic style in magic.

Smaller: doesn't necessarily favor shorter people, but produces more elegant and refined magic.

[ Wand Flexibility ] 

The flexibility of a wand is important as well. Wands fall on a scale of flexibility. At one end you have the more flexible wands and at the other end, you have the more rigid wands. Because they fall on a spectrum, there are essentially limitless descriptors for wand flexibility.

Flexible: both the wand and owner are more adaptable and willing to change.

Rigid: both the wand and owner are less adaptable and willing to change.

[ Wand Wood ] 

The wood of a wand is perhaps the most important element aside from its core. There are many different wood types all with various meanings and preferences when it comes to the personality of witches/wizards. For the sake of time, below I included only Ollivander's descriptions of the wand woods of the major characters in this particular story. Feel free to hit up Pottermore if you're curious about other types of wood.

Cedar: "Whenever I meet one who carries a cedar wand, I find strength of character and unusual loyalty. My father, Gervaise Ollivander, used always to say, 'you will never fool the cedar carrier,' and I agree: the cedar wand finds its perfect home where there is perspicacity and perception. I would go further than my father, however, in saying that I have never yet met the owner of a cedar wand whom I would care to cross, especially if harm is done to those of whom they are fond. The witch or wizard who is well-matched with cedar carries the potential to be a frightening adversary, which often comes as a shock to those who have thoughtlessly challenged them."

Cypress: "Cypress wands are associated with nobility. The great medieval wandmaker, Geraint Ollivander, wrote that he was always honoured to match a cypress wand, for he knew he was meeting a witch or wizard who would die a heroic death. Fortunately, in these less blood-thirsty times, the possessors of cypress wands are rarely called upon to lay down their lives, though doubtless many of them would do so if required. Wands of cypress find their soul mates among the brave, the bold and the self-sacrificing: those who are unafraid to confront the shadows in their own and others' natures."

Hawthorne: "The wandmaker Gregorovitch wrote that hawthorn 'makes a strange, contradictory wand, as full of paradoxes as the tree that gave it birth, whose leaves and blossoms heal, and yet whose cut branches smell of death.' While I disagree with many of Gregorovitch's conclusions, we concur about hawthorn wands, which are complex and intriguing in their natures, just like the owners who best suit them. Hawthorn wands may be particularly suited to healing magic, but they are also adept at curses, and I have generally observed that the hawthorn wand seems most at home with a conflicted nature, or with a witch or wizard passing through a period of turmoil. Hawthorn is not easy to master, however, and I would only ever consider placing a hawthorn wand in the hands of a witch or wizard of proven talent, or the consequences might be dangerous. Hawthorn wands have a notable peculiarity: their spells can, when badly handled, backfire."

Pear: "This golden-toned wood produces wands of splendid magical powers, which give of their best in the hands of the warm-hearted, the generous and the wise. Possessors of pear wands are, in my experience, usually popular and well-respected. I do not know of a single instance where a pear wand has been discovered in the possession of a Dark witch or wizard. Pear wands are among the most resilient, and I have often observed that they may still present a remarkable appearance of newness, even after many years of hard use."

Sycamore: "The sycamore makes a questing wand, eager for new experience and losing brilliance if engaged in mundane activities. It is a quirk of these handsome wands that they may combust if allowed to become 'bored', and many witches and wizards, settling down into middle age, are disconcerted to find their trusty wand bursting into flame in their hand as they ask it, one more time, to fetch their slippers. As may be deduced, the sycamore's ideal owner is curious, vital and adventurous, and when paired with such an owner, it demonstrates a capacity to learn and adapt that earns it a rightful place among the world's most highly-prized wand woods."

[ Original Wands ] 

Below are the wands I created for the Narnian characters. Harry Potter official wands for J.K. Rowlings characters can be found on Pottermore. 

***Lucy's wand***

Wood: cypress

Core: unicorn hair

Length: 9 3/4 inches

Flexibility: reasonably supple

***Edmund's wand***

Wood: hawthorn

Core: dragon heartstring

Length: 11 1/4 inches

Flexibility: brittle

***Susan's wand***

Wood: pear

Core: dragon heartstring

Length: 10 1/2

Flexibility: rigid

***Peter's wand***

Wood: cedar

Core: phoenix feather

Length: 11 inches

Flexibility: quite bendy

***Caspian's wand***

Wood: sycamore

Core: phoenix feather

Length: 12 3/4 inches

Flexibility: pliable