Chapter 22: Chapter 22: The Principal Parts of a Magic Wand

The first thing to learn about magic wands is their composition. As illustrated below, most wands are composed of the following five basic parts: the end cap, the handle, the shaft, the tip, and most importantly the core, which is buried inside of the handle and shaft.

The Five Parts of a Complex Wand

Every wand need not have all five of these parts. For example, simpler wands typically have neither a separate end cap nor tip. In the simplest wands, there is also no distinction between the handle and the shaft, and the wand is composed of a single piece of wood, often a small branch from a tree or bush. Thus, the only two essential parts of a wand are the shaft (usually composed of wood) and the core, which contains a part of a magical creature.

The Two Parts of a Simple Wand

Traditionally, wands are made of the following four types of materials: