Ollivanders

Ollivanders is a magic wand shop described as narrow and shabby, with a sign that reads Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC in peeling gold letters over the door. The only display is a single wand lying on a purple cushion in the dusty window and inside there are countless narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling.

Mr. Ollivander, the pale-eyed, white-haired shopkeeper, makes and sells magic wands to witches and wizards as they enter school or break their old wands. He remembers each and every wand he has ever sold. To determine the best wand for a witch or wizard, Mr Ollivander measures various body parts (including, in Harry's case, between his nostrils) and then checks the reactions of various wands to the buyer, a process he refers to as "the wand choosing the wizard."

In Philosopher's Stone, Harry tried a great many wands before he found one suited to his magical personality — an 11 inch, holly and phoenix feather wand. Mr. Ollivander only uses phoenix feathers, dragon heartstrings and unicorn hair as the cores of his wands. Therefore, Harry, Ron (unicorn hair and willow, 14 inches), and Hermione (dragon heartstring and vine-wood) unite all three Ollivander wand cores.

Harry and Lord Voldemort's wands have the same core: a feather each from Albus Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes. The magical effects of the brother wands when used against each other later allowed Harry Potter to successfully ward off Voldemort due to Priori Incantatem.

Other wands known to have been purchased here include:

James Potter: Mahogany, 11". Mr Ollivander comments that it was pliable and excellent for Transfiguration.

Lily Evans: Willow, 10 1/4". Mr Ollivander comments that it was swishy and nice wand for Charm work.

Rubeus Hagrid: Oak, 16". Mr Ollivander comments that it was rather bendy.

Lord Voldemort : Yew, 13 1/2", phoenix feather.

Cedric Diggory: Ash, 12 1/4", single unicorn hair from the tail of what Mr Ollivander considered a p