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sweetpinkpixie · 01-08-2021, 02:31 AM

Just as you enter the shop, in between all the chaos that may or may not have been going on, is a rather open area with a measuring tape that seems to be hovering in mid air. It wiggles and flies around, ready to measure the next customer to walk into it's range. The measuring tape will eagerly measure your height, the reach of your arm, and maybe even other strange measurements to help the wandmakers find the best wand for you.

In front of the counter there is the empty space that is designated as the fitting area. Here is where wands are fitted. After being measured by the magical measuring tape, you will be assisted by a worker who will then endeavor to fit you with your perfect wand and start pulling boxes from the shelves, which stretch back impossibly far and up so high that even the tallest people have to tip their head back to see the tops.

Long sliding ladders are attached to every stretch of shelves, and the wandmakers make great use of these to reach those wands which are tucked away high up. There seems to be a filing system of sorts, some kind of method to the madness, though most of the boxes are unmarked. Is it a colour code? Or is it shape? size? smell? Something else? Well you'll never know unless you get a job here. Luckily, and out of sheer necessity, these shelves have been bespelled so that wandboxes are not in danger of flying everywhere due to errant spells cast by children wielding their new wands.

Text Cut: wand fitting instructions

⌦ In order to receive a wand, please take the WAND QUIZ ONCE for the character who is here for a wand. Then, post your character being measured by the "magical measuring tape" ONCE in this thread. This thread is not one where you should interact with others, one post here please! It serves as our queue!

See the example post below, or look at other posts in this thread from previous terms.

Text Cut: example post

Jessica went into Ollivanders with more than her share of nerves, it was time for her first wand! The eleven year old made her way over to the measuring area and waited for her turn. Soon enough the measuring tape reached her and began zipping about, straightening with a snap and measuring out her height and, when she held her arms out, she watched it take a measurement of how long they were too. Fun! Did that mean her wand would be as big as her whole arm?

The girl stepped away from the measuring area and she eagerly waited for the shopkeeper to find her wand.

⌦ Please take the SORTING QUIZ first and wait to be placed in your house before taking the wand quiz! Your house effects your final wand in our quiz! This goes for current members who are re-sorting too, though you may take the quiz in advance if you know what your new house will be.

⌦ You may role play the magical measuring tape, but you may not role play for the shopkeepers. Ollivander does not work here!

⌦ After submitting the wand quiz and posting in this thread, please wait for a shop worker to assist you and your character in finding their perfect wand match. You do not have to RP to get your wand, but it is highly encouraged as a part of enriching your RP experience.

⌦ Please do not stretch the wand fitting experience out too long, it should not take more than three tries at an absolute maximum to find your character's match.

⌦ If we run out of time to complete the RP with you by the end of the RP summer, we will PM or VM your wand result to you, provided you have posted in this thread and responded to our efforts to interact with you.

⌦ If you have any questions, feel free to PM Felixir or one of the Diagon Alley Proprietors and they'll try to answer your questions as quickly and efficiently as they can.

⌦ Have fun!

Kolyander · 08-18-2023, 12:20 AM

This little girl was all eyes on Aryan when he gave that second wand a wave. To see silver confetti ran down upon him and that bright smile on his face made her giggle happily for him. "I think your new wand wants to throw you a party because it likes you so much!" She exclaimed clapping her hands. Getting to witness such a fun response to a wand choosing her bestest friend ever, only heightened her own want and need for her own wand to be as fun as that.

Bryony smiled softly at the wandman's kind words when she gave the first wand back to him it. "Which is alright because that wand will find it's person." It didn't matter that it wasn't her. She had all the faith in that wand pairing with someone perfect for it. And even more importantly, that the wandmaker man would help her find her wand!

It was hardly a minute or two and just like that, a second wand was held out for her to take. The littlest Paton reached out for it, her fingers tingling as she wrapped them gently around the wand in her hand. There was an immediate warmth that flowed into her fingertips and throughout her hand and up her arm. It was the most perfect feeling, and she had to smile right then. This one likes her, she could feel it!

Now came the true test. Bry gave the wand a small flourish through the space blin front of her. Fiery wisps of small flames burst forth from the tip of the wand. It wasn't at all what she had expected and it didn't last long but she the smile on her face was a brilliant one. "That was.. AWESOME! Bryony giggled, bouncing around delightedly in a small circle. "It sorta looked like a creature!" Whether or not the tiny flames did or not was questionable but she was convinced that it had.

"This is the one! It likes me. Right, Mister Wandmaker man? This one can be mine now?" It HAD to be hers. She was already in love with it and didn't want to give it up.

Lissy Longbottom · 08-18-2023, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

No fire... no fire please. A lot of wood in this place; and those spontaneous fires that occasionally occurred did not do wonders for Zeke's blood pressure. Fortunately, he had quick reflexes.

... Not that quick though - wand down! wand down! - but he had been lulled into a false sense of security by the initial lack of response from the wand.

"Hm, I'm of the opinion that's not the one. No matter," Zeke said bracingly, stooping to pick up both the rejected wand and the still-boxed one that had briefly taken issue with the lad. Both he set aside, to be checked and/or cleaned later, before he considering the other candidates he had collected, ruling out a couple. Perhaps a matter of the core... "Let's try this one," he went on, picking up another box and, again, holding it out for the boy to take the wand inside. "Same again, sir, if you please."

Sammy nodded at his instructions and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves as he grabbed the next wand from the man. That had startled him a little, he had to admit, and he was just a BIT hesitant to try again - but he had to do what had to be done!

Clearing his throat as if that would somehow help things, he raised this new wand and gave it a wave. Once again it seemed like nothing happened, until he realized that his shoelaces were untying themselves. Well THAT was weird, and probably also another indication that this was NOT the wand for him!

SilverTiger · 08-18-2023, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Goodness. Now that was rather unkind; Zeke had half a mind to scold the wand - for all the good it would do. Instead, he put the lid back onto the box and set it back on the counter. "I think we can safely rule that one out. Are you alright, my dear?"

He eyed her with concern for a moment, before turning and picking out a different wand, making his deductions as regards the core they ought to be looking for. Zeke lifted the lid from the box, and offered that one instead.

"Here we are, perhaps this one will be a little kinder. Give it a wave, and tell me what you think, hmm?"

The wand was very unkind. It was mean, even, but Arienne was rather proud of herself for stopping herself from crying. Mostly. Some tears had leaked out, but aside from the initial yell she’d kept herself from being too obvious. Even if she really had wanted to cry, because that had really hurt. Nobody had told her that wands could hurt you just by touching them. Mum’s wand didn’t react like that when she touched it. Nor did any of the rest of her family members’ wands (obviously the twins didn’t have them because they were still little). She’d investigated the ones she’d managed to find.

Either way, that wand had been mean, and she had nodded emphatically as the wandmaker had suggested they rule that one out. “That one is mean”, she added, in case he wasn’t sure. She didn’t want it hurting anyone else. But… “I’m okay.” Her fingers still hurt a little, but not quite as much. Not enough that she was at risk of crying again. She was strong.

She’d still eyed the next wand for a bit longer than probably necessary, just as unsure as it seemed the wandmaker was as to if it would be mean too. Hopefully it wouldn’t, but there was still hesitance in the movement her handmade toward the box and the wand inside. Even as she grasped it, there was tension in her small body that gradually released as the wand didn’t react like the previous one had. In fact, it felt lots different. It felt welcoming, even. Sparkly.

“I think this one likes me.”

FearlessLeader19 · 08-18-2023, 02:28 AM

SPOILER!!: Zeke! <3

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

In the back of his mind, Zeke wondered if that smell was going to linger. The smoke was gone, and he could no longer smell it, but had he fooled himself into thinking it was completely gone rather than just severely diminished. Probably he'd need to leave the room and come back to know for sure; if it was still an issue... well, he would never say no to a good clean of the shop. Those tended to be necessary after (and during) the summer rush, in any case.

At any rate, he made no mention of this, especially as the boy seemed like he felt bad enough already. "Quite alright. Par for the course, in this shop," he added, with a kind sort of smile.

One which broadened at the reception of the next wand - the confetti, the delightful smile. Oh yes, the shopkeeper knew it too.

"Looks like we have a match!" he said brightly, and launched into the details. "This wand is nine and a half inches of robust cherry, with a core of unicorn hair." A very beautiful wood, highly prize, and surprisingly lethal - depending, of course, on the witch or wizard who wielded it. No bad wands, et cetera, et cetera. "An excellent wand for healing spells, binding spells, and divination, plus it has an affinity for the earth element and all relating to it. It's also said that the cherry wand helps to keep its bearer 'down to Earth' - this wand wood in particular requires those with self-control and a strong will, and so the wand does its part by helping to keep its wielder grounded." Given the power in that wood, matching them to eleven-year-olds could be something of a risk, but Zeke felt certain it was not have chosen this boy to wield it if he were not - or did not have the potential to be - capable, regardless of how quiet he was on the outside. In any case, the core did temper things somewhat. "Unicorn hair cores make for very faithful wands, and the magic they produce is very reliable; generally they don't make for the most powerful magic, but you may find the wood gives your spells all the oomph you could want. With this core, your wand is well suited to charms, transfigurations, and, again, healing magic."

And that, as they said, was that. "The wand by itself will be 12 galleons, plus the cost of any other products you might like today." Zeke gestured towards the price board, smiled once more, and straightened up the other wand boxes on the counter out of habit.

_________

[9½ inch robust cherry with unicorn hair]

Despite his worry over the chaos that had just ensued, Ary nodded at the shopkeeper’s reassurance. Maybe, just maybe rancid smoke {which, now that he thought deeply of it, reminded him of rotten eggs} had not been the worst thing that had graced this fine shop.

The confetti certainly made up for the earlier disaster. Ary tilted his head to the ceiling to watch the silvery things float down; one was directly in the path to his face, twirling in the air as it gracefully descended onto his nose. He righted his head, went cross eyed slightly as he eyed the confetti briefly before puffing some air upwards. The confetti took flight once more. Bry, who seemed to be following this adventure of his very closely, got a grin. Yes, that wand liked him!

The future Slytherin beamed now, listening keenly to the shopkeeper’s description of the wand. His expression even brightened when he heard it was particularly useful for Healing spells. When one aimed to work with creatures, there was bound to be many injuries {not that he was wishing this upon himself}. He was good at keeping grounded but Merlin knew that sometimes he needed all the help that could be given. As for powerful magic? Aryan wasn’t interested in having a powerful wand; just one that got the job done when he needed it to be. Overall, he was quite happy with the wand.

A match made in heaven, perhaps?

“Thank you,’’ Ary said, showing gratitude for the explanation. “I’d also like…” His eyes scanned the board. “Bundle one. Can I have a hip holster - Welsh Green… and a set of the Hogwarts wands.” The latter would be for him and his siblings. The boy supposed he would take the Slytherin one since his three siblings had been Sorted into the remaining Houses each.

Yup, that was it. Ary was done shopping. Twenty-four galleons were counted and placed on the counter. Dad Adi did say he was allowed to get whatever he wanted so Ary was taking full advantage of spending his fathers’ money. While he waited for the money to be checked to ensure it was correct, the child snuck a glance over at Bry {and was not surprised to see flames}, Drake and Gilly to see how they were faring.

Kimothy · 08-18-2023, 02:01 PM

Text Cut: Wand Maker Man and Best Cousin Friend v2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

... Well now, wasn't this one a curious little bean? Zeke chuckled. "It may be the case that I already do. But I shall neither confirm nor deny." Perhaps maddening for a curious young mind to hear, but Zeke's eyes merely twinkled.

And even more so when he saw the signs of a successful match. Ah, bubbles. The bubbles were always fun. "Wonderful," he exclaimed, and then nodded. "You did indeed, and I daresay you'll go on to make many more with it. We've definitely found a match."

He held out the box for the wand's return, smiling warmly all the while. "Now then, this wand is twelve and three quarter inches of supple spruce, with a phoenix feather core. Spruce requires a bit of a firm hand to keep it reined in, as it often seems to have its own ideas about what magic it should be producing." Which could be infuriating, Zeke imagined, but that was why it only tended to choose those in whom it met its match. And considering the core, that was definitely for the best. "Well-matched and mastered, it is a wonderful tool to have to hand, intensely loyal, and capable of flamboyant, dramatic effects. Excellent for conjuration and creature magic, but not at all suitable to the Dark Arts." Not that he was suggesting such avenues were likely, but forewarned was forearmed. Literally, in this case. "Phoenix feather wands are capable of a great range of magic, but often take some time to master, and they do occasionally take the initiative to act on their own accord. All things considered, a fairly wilful wand. Difficult to tame, but powerful, and very versatile. Subject-wise, it's a core well suited to Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Come to think of it, even though he was sure such a wand would drive Zeke - with his slightly obsessive, control-freak ways - a little bit round the twist, he rather enjoyed that combination. In theory.

"The wand is price at 12 galleons, plus any other products you may want," Zeke added, with the customary gesture towards the inventory list. "Are you both going to be paying together, or apart?"

_________

[12¾ inch supple spruce with phoenix feather

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurange

Rosie nodded at the wandmaker, stiffening her upper lip and pointedly not looking at her dad or Uncle Brian, because if she did, she would CRY. What she did not want to do right now was cry. "But it burned me," she said, and then blinked rapidly. "Maybe it's just excited to meet it's new best friend and disappointed that it's not me. I wish it could be me, though. It was a very pretty wand. Did you make it? Did you make all of these?!"

There were a lot of wands here, and it was tempting to wonder how long it would have taken to fill all these shelves.

Distract, distract. And the wandmaker man was being very reassuring, and it really was helping a lot. Just like the squeeze her hand got from Ascella. Rose squeezed back, and felt some of the overwhelming feelings of failure melt away. She just wanted to be good enough. What if she wasn't good enough?

But you know who was good enough? Ascella Archer. Rose looked on in unmitigated wonder as the bubbles flew out of the tip of Ascella's wand, and felt something like hope bubbling inside her too. She raised a hand absently to one of the bubbles, transfixed, and then turned back to her ebullient cousin. Ascella's enthusiasm was contagious, it really was. "YOU are wonderful to have around, and loyal, and also fantastic and you love turles! You were meant to be!"

It was on this note that she turned back to the wandmaker man, who had gone to the effort of finding her a new wand to try, and peered into the box. This one, too, was very pretty. And if it were possible, she felt almost like the wand was staring back, as if it were as curious to meet her as she was. This one may be kinder, the wandmaker had said. "It definitely seems friendly?"

Reaching into the box and wrapping her fingers around the wand, the first and only feeling that flooded Brianna Rose's mind was relief. Sweet, blissful relief. First, she had thought that it was because the wand hadn't burned her, the way the last one did, but when she opened her eyes -- which she hadn't noticed she'd screwed shut in terror -- her hand looked different. Twisting it around and angling her head to get a better look, she saw that her seemed to be lit from inside with a pinkish hue. It made her look AND FEEL rosy. "Is this what it's like? If it's not, I don't want to know what it's like. I don't want to try any other wand. This is the one for me, sir."

The tears really were falling now, like it was meant to be. Like she was meant to be burned by the last wand so that this wand could comfort her. Rose launched herself at the wandmaker, wrapping her arms around his middle in relief and glee. "It feels exactly like coming home. Thank you!"

"But..." Ascella Paige Archer was about to ask more, or maybe get confirmation that this was a wand maker's secret in which case she will drop the subject altogether and respect that. However, she eventually did have to focus her attention elsewhere considering...

A match! A MATCH! Even though Ascella knew she was going to ultimately find the perfect wand match, this was somehow still exciting as ever. The eleven year old carefully replaced the wand—her wand!—in its box, then fully looked back up at the wand maker man as he told her everything she needed to know about her wand. While she didn't have a single idea what each component meant, Ascella knew very well she'll look them up later on. Her wand was of spruce wood, matched with a Phoenix feather. A phoenix's feather at its core! She was a little worried when the wand maker man said her wand would be a bit of work, but that only meant she'll take her time with it. It had to, right? Because the wand chose her! Ascella Archer was a patient kid.

Another thing she worried about? That price. Twelve galleons were no joke to the Archers, but Ascella reminded herself that Aunt Maebh had offered to pay for everything today even though her Dad didn't know it. It was a secret! And he'd recommended that she get a holster too, so the eldest Archer kid scanned the inventory list briefly. "A wrist holster for me, sir. Uhm...faux leather, please. Do you have it in...navy, perhaps?" She had contemplated on other colours, but figured she liked something dark so it didn't get dirty quickly, and blue because it was pretty. Black was fine too, simple and neutral, but she liked colour more. "And we'll be paying together." Ascella glanced to her side, at Rosie. This shouldn't take long because look, her cousin found herself a match!

Just big smiles from Ascella Paige Archer today. She was happy to share this special day with Rosie, did she know?

*Nordic Witch* · 08-19-2023, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Setting down his mug, he went off to gather a healthy selection of wands that fit the bill, those from which they would whittle down the search, and returned to call forward the next girl.

"Hello there," he greeted her, setting the wand boxes on the counter and smiling warmly. "Ready to find your wand? I have some here for you to try." And he plucked the most likely candidate from their midst, removed the live, and offered its contents to the young lady. "You know what to do? Just give it a wave, and we'll see what happens. It's helpful for you to tell me, too, if you think it feels right, or if you'd like to try another."

Emmeline hestitantly walked up towards the man after a quick glance back at auntie Laurel for reassurance. Nodding she mumbled to the shopkeeper so that her aunt wouldn't overhear. "Hi sir! Yes I am, can I please get a wand that is not made from dragon parts? I hate dragons you see because one dragon made my mummy and daddy die."

Trying her best to not start crying for thinking about it, Emmie did her best to perk up as she accepted the wand. Placing it in her left hand she did what the wandman had instructed her to do do, and gave the wand a quick vigourous wave which caused it somehow to strike backwards hitting her nose hard. "OUwwwwwwie!"Emmie screamed out as her nose began to bleed down her face. "Bad waaaaaaaaaaaand!" she blurted out as she dropped it back on the counter as she tried to stop her nose bleed.

Zoe · 08-19-2023, 06:11 PM

Text Cut: A couple quotes!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chelliephone

Aryan got a return smile when Drake caught his eyes, before his attention shifted briefly to Bryony and then to his sister who had made her way over towards him. He inched a bit closer to her, finding comfort in his twin's presence. Wand core? Honestly… he didn't even know what there all was so he just chose a random critter. "Um.. maybe an Occamy feather?" Was that an option?? "What about you? And what would do you think you'll get?" He was far more interested in the tree part.

It seemed like the time was way too short until the wandmaker (who truly looked kind which should have made Drake feel better, instead of further causing him to wonder if he was about to waste this man’s time) was offering the young boy a wand to try out. Moving away from his sister, reluctantly, he eyed the piece of wood suspiciously before glancing at the growing line behind him and realizing how rude it would be to dally. With a deeeeep breath, he reached into the box - grasping the handle and pulling it out. Just… holding it. He didn’t really DO anything with it, but hearing the instruction that one was supposed to give it a whirl (which he was taking literally and not as the expression it was probably meant as), Drake took an intake of breath and did just that.

The wand grew warm in his hand, which surprised him before he could determine if that was a good thing or not, and he found himself releasing his grip on it. Before then ultra PANICING that he just dropped a wand that he wasn’t even sure belonged to him and he dove for it with his free hand catching it once again. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He rushed out, giving wide eyes at the man. “I uh… is it supposed to be really warm to the touch?” He tended to be timid by nature so he would take the man’s expertise on this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

And now... aha. This young lady. Zeke scanned over the list of measurements his parchment presented itself with, glanced over, nodded to himself, and then bustled away to collect a couple of the most promising wands. Maybe it would take a little trial and error or fine-tuning, but he had a good enough idea of where to start with this one.

"Hello there," he said cheerfully, emerging from a small alcove of shelves behind the counter, and bearing gifts. Wands. Wares. Not gifts. They would, of course, require payment. "Let's see if we can't find your wand today, hm? Perhaps this one first?"

As he spoke, Zeke nudged the top off of one of the wand boxes and presented its contents to the girl. "A wave should do it, and we'll go from there."

A kind smile and a little shoulder nudge occurred when her twin inched closer to her. She could feel what she assumed was a bit of nervousness ease away. After Drake shared what he thought his core might be, she didn't say anything right away as she was considering the possibility and whether it could be a good fit. "That would be a nice fit for you. Or maybe unicorn hair -- they're supposed to make pretty loyal wands," she responded. "I think mermaid hair or Horned Serpent horn would be fascinating. But I would be happy with a phoenix feather."

Gillyweed would have gone into more depth, providing more information than necessary about the cores she had mentioned, but her brother had been called to try out a wand. She quickly gave him a look that he would easily be able to translate as a you-got-this message and just watched as he and then both Aryan and Bryony went through the process of a wand choosing them. Her face remained quite neutral regardless of the warmth, loudness, or lack of anything the initial wands gave. She knew from what she had read that wands could be finicky.

Then it was her turn. When the wandmaker addressed her, she stepped forward and reached into the box for the wand. Nothing stood out to her the moment she was holding it in her hand; it just felt like wood. After giving it a wave, nothing continued to happen -- there was no confetti or sparks or any of the other signs she was expecting. Suddenly its touch rapidly grew colder and colder, and it became frosty and spikes of ice started to grow out of it. Her brown eyes looked up at the man. "This one doesn't feel right," she told him matter-of-factly as she gingerly placed the wand back inside its box.

Waddles · 08-20-2023, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

In the pause that stretched out between the wand being offered and the boy trying it out, Zeke did his best to look reassuring with the smile and the 'go ahead' nod - while not appearing too pushy. Some kids needed to take their time, and few liked to be rushed through the process. Luckily, Zeke had this kind of thing down to a science.

Though he may have rocked back ever so slightly on his heels, just to ensure he wasn't about to get unintentionally stuck with the pointy end.

If the subtle shift in the boy's demeanour (again, not always noticeable, but again, down to a science) didn't tell Zeke they'd found the one, the boy's declaration unequivocally confirmed it. "Excellent," he said, rather earnestly. "I'm very glad to hear it. We have a match." He held out the wand box again, so that it might be put back inside for the part where he rang it up and money exchanged hands, though for a moment he wondered if the boy would be willing to part company with it.

"Now then, that wand is thirteen inches - exactly - of stiff black walnut, with a unicorn hair core. Walnut is a very handsome wood, very adaptable, and very versatile." It tended to pick the more intelligent, the overachievers, though this was not always the case. Just in case it wasn't here, Zeke opted not to mention it; it could mean unnecessary pressure for some of these kids. "Black walnut in particular is drawn to owners with good insight, and good instincts. One thing very important to remember is that it's abnormally attuned to inner conflict, and will lose power if it detects self-deception. But for those who are sincere and self-aware, black walnut makes for is one of the most loyal and impressive wands you could find, and is particularly well-suited to charmswork." See, that? That didn't count as unnecessary pressure. That was simply important to know, though Zeke could never be certain whether a black walnut wand was more likely to choose those less prone to self-deception, or those who needed the motivation to avoid it. He'd seen enough evidence for either to be true. But anyway. "The unicorn hair, again, is excellent for charms, as well as transfiguration and healing spells. Unicorn hair wands are very faithful to their owners too, very consistent, very reliable."

So then. Unless there were any questions (which, of course, he was always happy to answer)... "12 galleons for the wand by itself, and we have some other products also for sale," Zeke said, gesturing towards the price board.

_________

[13 inch stiff black walnut with unicorn hair]

UNICORN HAIR?! Kenneth's mouth gaped a bit as he listened to the explanation about what the wand--his wand--was made of, and what it might be good at. He reluctantly placed the wand back in the wand box, and brushed his hair back away from his ears now that his hands were free.

He turned and got the money from his uncle to pay for the wand, but paused with his hands, full of galleons, outstretched towards the shopkeeper. "Does the unicorn have a name?" he asked. "The one whose hair is in my wand?" He wanted to know its name, and where it lived, and everything else about this unicorn. But...he'd settle for just the name.

Harron Peasley · 08-21-2023, 07:30 PM

Text Cut: braybray & the wandmaker

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daemon

"Maybe it also measured GRANDAD'S toes." Ha. Brayla wasn't the least bit fazed by her sister's disgust and could have happily continued hypothesizing about many more toes that had been measured if the shopkeeper had not arrived.. She glanced at Billie as she asked her question, nodding enthusiastically once she'd finished. Brayla would also like to know the answer to that, please. And if the answer was no, she privately hoped their wands would at least physically look good together. Imagine if they clashed? That would be terrible. New fear unlocked.

Her hand had almost managed to reach Billie's arm again when the wands were offered. She dropped it immediately, moving to give her sister space to try her wand out first. She held the wand the shopkeeper had offered her by her side, her arm limp as she watched Billie swish hers around. The grip felt all wrong in her hand but Brayla had no time to think about it because Billie was doing MAGIC. Brayla gasped at the pink sparks that her sister produced (all by herSELF OH MY MERLIN) and looked at her with wide eyes. "That was so COOL Bill! Let me tr-" Brayla barely begun lifting her arm to copy her sister's wave when the wand simply removed itself from her grip and floated back into the box.

Uhm. What? "I didn't do that!" Panicked eyes looked between Billie and the shopkeeper, fearful they wouldn't believe her. "I didn't!!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

A very good question, and one that was of interest in the wandlore specialism. "There are plenty of studies and research on that kind of thing. As far as I have seen for myself, it will always depend on the individuals in question; a higher likelihood of some similarities between the wands, but even that's not a given. Personally, I've never yet matched entirely identical wands to identical twins." But, also, there were plenty of other wandmakers around, and some who had seen exactly that phenomenon, and it called to mind questions about the likeliness of twin cores too. In the past, Zeke had also matched a few that complemented each other, or coordinated in some respect, between siblings as well as twins. "My own girls are identical too, peas in a pod, but I'm sure even they appreciate a distinction or two between them."

Now then, before he got too lost in the topic of his children - whom he avoided talking about too much, if he could help it, for though they appreciated his attention face to face, he was still mindful of their privacy - or the fascinating subject of wandlore, it was on to the wand itself.

And what a wand. Always delightful to see an immediate match. Zeke beamed at her. "You're quite welcome. This is clearly a match."

He held out the wand box so it might be replaced before he rang it up. "Now, this wand is 12 and a quarter inches of whippy red oak, with a snidget feather core. Oak is strong and powerful as a wandwood, and oak owners generally make excellent leaders; red oak in particular is drawn to passionate individuals." Hot-tempered also, but Zeke? He had tact. "It favours those with quick reactions, who are quick-witted and adaptable, and so makes for an excellent duelling wand - and doubly so with the snidget feather core - should you feel inclined to pursue that area of magic. Oak in general is well suited to protective and defensive spellwork." All in all, exactly the kind of wand a person might want on their side - similar to its preferred owner. "With the snidget feather core, this wand will be very responsive and consistent, well suited to Charms and, again, defensive spells, especially those that cater to evasion." And duelling. But Zeke had covered that already.

He smiled again, and gestured towards the price board. "The wand by itself will be 12 galleons, plus the price of anything else you might like today." But, also, "Will you be paying together or separately?"

_________

[12¼ inch whippy red oak with snidget feather]

Interesting dynamic between these two, wasn't there? Not to mention, Zeke found himself having to hold back a smile at the this one's (he was tempted to say 'the younger twin', though of course he had no basis for that and was reluctant to make the assumption, but... found himself doing so anyway) dramatic gasp.

The wand returning itself to the box? Also amusing, but Zeke was a seasoned pro at not so much as smiling at the magical effects of the unsuccessful matches unless following the lead of his customer and how amusing they themselves found it. This customer seemed more worried than anything.

"I believe you," he said, in the most reassuring voice he could muster. "I think what's happened here is that the wand has politely declined this match. Which is nothing to be concerned about either." Such a considerate wand. Zeke put the lid back onto the box, and considered the other options at their disposal, based on what he had just witnessed. He picked out another, unlidded it, offered the wand inside.

"Perhaps this one will be more receptive. Give it a try, and we'll see how you go."

“Stop it, Bray,” Billie practically pleaded, grossed out by her sister's sudden obsession with the toes of Stemp men. She shuddered a little bit, and her relief at the presence of the wandmaker was palpable. Looking as smug as anything when he answered her question (because she
could TELL from his answer that it was a GOOD question to ask), she then glanced conspiratorially at Brayla. “Maybe we can be the first!” Wouldn’t that be something? Billie was happily ignoring the fact that, aside from their looks, they were very different people, in the hope of being the first of some amazing phenomena. She did wonder, briefly, about the wandmakerman’s twins, but she was far more interested in the wand things that were happening.

Wand things that made her even more smug, if that were possible. An immediate match. How wonderful. And the wandmaker was talking, and saying all WONDERFUL things about her, and Billie straightened up with pride. An excellent leader, absolutely. “Maybe I will try dueling. And yes, we’ll pay together,” she murmured thoughtfully, before turning her gaze back to her wand. Billie held the wand in front of her eyes, inspecting it closely, looking at every inch of the wood. Lowering it, she glanced at the box rather reluctantly - she wasn’t ready to put the wand away yet. What if it changed its mind? Did it have a mind? How did it work?

Luckily (or not, depending on who you were in this situation), she was distracted from all of those questions by Brayla’s wand had put ITSELF back in its box. The laugh she emitted was LOUD, and she clapped her hands over her mouth (wand included). “Sorry, but that was funny,” she muttered, preempting her sister's likely reproachful glare. She watched as the wandmaker offered another, hoping that this would work for Brayla and she wasn’t going to be ~~difficult~~ disappointed a second time.

kayquilz · 08-21-2023, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

In no time at all - well... not no time... there were plenty of customers to tend to and Zeke was determined to give each their due attention, and avoid rushing their special moment - the wandmaker himself had appeared.

"Hello, young man," he said rather kindly, setting a small clutch of boxes to one side and plucking one decisively from the mix. He'd seen the measurements, and immediately gone on the hunt for the best candidates. Perhaps optimistically, but then again, he wasn't above going on the hunt for one or two different options if one of these wands indicated he was way off base. "Ready to get started? If you'll just take this wand, give it a wave..." Zeke opened up the box, and held it out to offer the wand that was nestled inside of it. "... and let me know what you think."

Roman didn't audibly reply to the wand man at first. His grey eyes merely widened at his appearance, and he nodded politely, too shy and anxious to let anything escape his throat, lest it be a groan of despair or a wail of fear.

The moment the wand was held aloft for him, Roman's anxiety trilled up his spine, but it was a bubbly kind, the way caffeine from a soda would affect him, and not the scary kind. He took it gingerly from the fellow and twirled it in his fingers without much thought, as if he were supposed to do that. He then held it the way he had observed his parents hold theirs and gave it a little wave.

Nothing happened for three seconds, and then a horrid screech erupted from the end of his wand and made him drop it to cover his ears, his face squished in discomfort.

"Ah-I-I think that one's a no-go," he murmured up at the man. He didn't DARE look at his twin, who was busy doing whatever while he got his time with finding a wand.

thestralyew19 · 08-22-2023, 12:44 AM

Alyx Stone wandered into the "Ollivander's Wand Shop" from Diagon Alley, following the instructions on her letter from Hogwarts. The 11-year old simply stepped into the shop and immediately a magical measuring tape flew over to her and began measuring her.

It whizzed around her taking her measurements and she spun around while she heard a voice, "Hold still, Alyx." It must have been the magical measuring tape because Alyx didn't see anyone working in the shop in front of her or behind the shop counter.

Alyx stood still taking it all in, excited to receive her first wand. She held up her arms as the measuring tape took the measurements and then she put them back down. A lot of the process seemed planned, as if the measuring tape behaved the same way for everyone buying a wand. After the measuring tape was finished and flew back over to the place where it rested on the shop counter, she waited for a few seconds and then said, "Hello? Is anyone there? I'm trying to buy a wand so I can go to Hogwarts!"

Shanners · 08-22-2023, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Well, now, wasn't this girl just a ray of sunshine? Zeke allowed himself a good-natured chuckle, and couldn't quite help but to wave back. Just seemed like the thing to do.

Waving at the flowers? Delightful. He stood by, still smiling - the sunshine, it was fairly contagious - and, as ever, braced for any magical effect that was likely to come of an incorrect (or even a perfect) match. What Zeke was not prepared for, however, was to suddenly find himself caught up in a hug.

Colour him bemused, because as far as he could tell, she'd not so much as touched the wand yet. He glanced questioningly towards the window as he patted the girl on the shoulder, looking out at the group she'd waved at earlier; he thought he caught sight of a young man face-palming out there.

"Thank you very much for saying so," Zeke told the customer, still smiling as kindly as before. "That's a delightful thing for an old wandmaker to hear-" NOT that he was actually old, thank you very much. In his early 40s, he was still in the prime of his life. But to this girl? Maybe he seemed ancient. "-that's exactly what I aspire to. But I think - just to be absolutely sure - that you should give the wand a test run. What do you say?"

Maeb wasn't sure that this man was hugged very often - it seemed like he didn't know that you were supposed to hug back. A pat on the shoulder wasn't part of a hug! It may have been the saddest thing she'd heard all day... but Larkin had also said he was fine after realising that the kids had eaten all of the pancakes before he came to breakfast that day and he definitely definitely wasn't fine. "You aren't OLD!" She assured, almost stomping her foot but instead just nodding firmly. Maybe he was the same age as her Mum! She wasn't old. Gen was like... well, Gen sometimes said that she felt like she drank from the fountain of youth every day, but she was also sometimes a little strange...

"Okay..." the brunette didn't sound as self-assured with that point, but she took the wand in her hand either way. Maebry cast yet another look over her shoulder at her family outside the windows, looking a lot less excited than she had been when they got here. What if a wand didn't want to be hers? What if this proved Dia right and she wasn't going to be able to go to Hogwarts with the rest of her siblings this year? What if she wasn't good enough for a wand?

Gen provided a cue to breathe and Larkin a double thumbs up which settled her more than she liked. So with a deep breath, she gave the wand in her hand a strong wave... oh. From the end sprouted some blue flowers which faded into wisps and danced from the end of the wand into her hair. "They were pretty!!!!!"

Felixir · 08-24-2023, 12:54 AM

SPOILER!!: laurange

Quote:

Originally Posted by laurange

Rosie nodded at the wandmaker, stiffening her upper lip and pointedly not looking at her dad or Uncle Brian, because if she did, she would CRY. What she did not want to do right now was cry. "But it burned me," she said, and then blinked rapidly. "Maybe it's just excited to meet it's new best friend and disappointed that it's not me. I wish it could be me, though. It was a very pretty wand. Did you make it? Did you make all of these?!"

There were a lot of wands here, and it was tempting to wonder how long it would have taken to fill all these shelves.

Distract, distract. And the wandmaker man was being very reassuring, and it really was helping a lot. Just like the squeeze her hand got from Ascella. Rose squeezed back, and felt some of the overwhelming feelings of failure melt away. She just wanted to be good enough. What if she wasn't good enough?

But you know who was good enough? Ascella Archer. Rose looked on in unmitigated wonder as the bubbles flew out of the tip of Ascella's wand, and felt something like hope bubbling inside her too. She raised a hand absently to one of the bubbles, transfixed, and then turned back to her ebullient cousin. Ascella's enthusiasm was contagious, it really was. "YOU are wonderful to have around, and loyal, and also fantastic and you love turles! You were meant to be!"

It was on this note that she turned back to the wandmaker man, who had gone to the effort of finding her a new wand to try, and peered into the box. This one, too, was very pretty. And if it were possible, she felt almost like the wand was staring back, as if it were as curious to meet her as she was. This one may be kinder, the wandmaker had said. "It definitely seems friendly?"

Reaching into the box and wrapping her fingers around the wand, the first and only feeling that flooded Brianna Rose's mind was relief. Sweet, blissful relief. First, she had thought that it was because the wand hadn't burned her, the way the last one did, but when she opened her eyes -- which she hadn't noticed she'd screwed shut in terror -- her hand looked different. Twisting it around and angling her head to get a better look, she saw that her seemed to be lit from inside with a pinkish hue. It made her look AND FEEL rosy. "Is this what it's like? If it's not, I don't want to know what it's like. I don't want to try any other wand. This is the one for me, sir."

The tears really were falling now, like it was meant to be. Like she was meant to be burned by the last wand so that this wand could comfort her. Rose launched herself at the wandmaker, wrapping her arms around his middle in relief and glee. "It feels exactly like coming home. Thank you!"

While Zeke was sorry to hear about the whole... burning situation, he took up the cue in the form of a question with little hesitation. "I've made a good number of these, yes, but there are many here courtesy of previous wandmakers. They'll all find their match, in time." Much like his customers, but that seemed a little too on the nose to say out loud, so he merely smiled again. "I believe that indeed one of mine... as is this next one."

How did he know? Well, he just knew. One of those things he had a fairly flawless memory for; it was like looking at a friend or relative and knowing them on sight, whereas a stranger would perhaps struggle to pick them out of a crowd after briefly meeting them just the once. That, and most of the selections he'd brought over had ended up being his own work, including this next one.

"Friendly is definitely promising," he said, giving an encouraging nod, and then... ah. Now, wasn't that just lovely? "That's what it's like. I think it's clear; that wand has chosen you." He was about to launch into the whole spiel and everything, when suddenly - hug attack. Zeke gave a small chuckle and patted the girl on the shoulder. "I'm so glad to hear it, and you are very welcome. Would you like to hear more about the wand now?" He hoped so, because he was full of information on that score.

Once she was ready, he launched straight into it. "This wand is twelve and a half inches of pliant laurel, with a hippogriff feather core. Many consider laurel to be fickle, though really it simply becomes willing to change loyalties if its owner is lazy or unmotivated. It is exceptionally loyal towards those brave at heart, energetic, and motivated." Good news? Hopefully good news. It was, after all, Zeke's most humble opinion that these wands would not choose a wielder who was immediately at odds with their values. "It has an affinity for fire spells, and is well-suited to opposing dark magic. It's said that it cannot form a dishonourable act, although really it has the capacity for great, destructive power." Then again... with the core, perhaps that would ring a little more true for this wand. "Laurel wands will emit a spontaneous lightning strike at any individual who attempts to steal it - which is one less thing to worry about. With the hippogriff father core, this will be a very adaptable wand, provided it is well-cared for. Treat it with respect, or it may backfire at inopportune moments. A wand with this core will not perform dishonourably, and if may become less responsive if pushed in such a way."

Just something to be mindful of; ultimately it was a rather fine wand. A wand that respected its owner just as much as it liked to be respected.

Anyway, time to breathe. "11 galleons for the wand by itself. And, again, we have other products available." Aaaand...

_________

[12½ inch pliant laurel with hippogriff feather]

SPOILER!!: Kimothy

... they would both be paying together. That should speed up this final process a little.

"We do indeed," Zeke replied, giving a nod as he turned to rummage through a selection of faux leather holsters, finally unearthing one in deep navy blue and adding it to the product on the counter, ready to ring it all up. "So far that comes to 25 galleons." Plus whatever the other young lady might end up buying, of course.

SPOILER!!: astrocat

For a moment there, Zeke was a little worried - well, not worried in the way wand fittings could potentially worry him, but more in the sense of seeing his young customers anxious or discouraged - that they had a second unsuccessful match. Ultimately, though, that appeared not to be the case.

"Wonderful," he remarked, bringing his hands together and clasping them in front of himself. "Yes, I do believe we do have a match." As to the price, they'd get there, after the fun stuff! First was the part Zeke considered far more interesting, not only for himself but for the majority of his clientele.

"Now then, this wand is ten and a quarter inches of slightly yielding ash, with unicorn hair." For every wand he sold, Zeke had integral information to impart, and this was no exception. Just a fun little detail. "An important point about this combination; ash wands lose power and skill if they are passed on to a new owner, so there is something of a prestige in ash wands, seeing as only those who have been matched with them can truly master them. This loss of power and skill is especially true when the core is unicorn hair, as yours is." Though it was generally most beneficial for an individual to be matched with their own wand, as opposed to being handed down a wand from another. Then again, he was also intimately familiar with how expensive they were (and yet so vital in this community, though he unfortunately could not lower prices and still afford to continue providing the service). "Healing magic and protection spells are well suited to an ash wand. As for the core, unicorn hair wands are very faithful to their owners - as you may have guessed, given how it behaves with this particular wood. Well suited to charms and transfigurations and is, again, excellent for healing spells. More about consistency and reliability than raw power, and more in tune with subtle and delicate magic. A little prone to melancholy if mishandled too; just something to be mindful of."

And that was that, and now Zeke had an answer for that last question. "The wand itself is priced at 9 galleons, and we also have other products and services available." He gestured to the price board and looked from the girl, he chaperone, and back, determining that he might be in charge of the funds but still half-expecting the child to decide on any accessories for herself.

_________

[10¼ inch slightly yielding ash with unicorn hair]

SPOILER!!: DuckyLinJi

"Please do," Zeke said, quite as earnestly as the situation called for. "I'd love to hear it." Aside from anything else, it was nice to hear how his customers were getting on with their wands; for the most part, he saw little to nothing of them once they left those doors. Well. Perhaps until they brought their own children back, but he'd not been at the helm of Ollivanders nearly long enough to see that just yet, but it could happen in the future.

Anyway, yes, accessories. "Of course," Zeke said, and went about retrieving the desired holster, pausing only very briefly when it seemed the boy might change his mind, though all it ended up requiring was adding a couple more products to the holster. After confirmation from the parent and/or guardian, Zeke nodded, and added the polish and conditioning oil to the holster and wand, rang it all up on his trusty cash register, and bundled the purchases together.

"All told, that's 16 galleons then, please," said Zeke, smiling again at the boy and his adult.

SPOILER!!: Kolyander

Frankly, Zeke was exceedingly proud of himself for keeping his composure - for barely reacting, in fact - at the sight of the dreaded flames in his shop. These things happened; fire occasionally did appear for either a successful or unsuccessful match (the hazardousness depending on which context it appeared in). Only a slight twitch of his wand hand, ready to reach for his own if it were necessary, and an even slighter widening of his eye were the only signs. But a fraction of a second later, once the flames were already fading, he broke into a broad beam.

"Wonderful news. Yes, I think you're right; this wand has chosen you." In other words: a match! Which meant, of course, "Of course it can be yours." Once paid for, of course. Zeke held out the wand box so it might be returned in order for him to ring it up.

But first, the specifications. "This wand is ten inches and two thirds of hornbeam, unyielding, with a core of griffin claw. Hornbeam is excellent for defensive spells, and a very loyal wand; hornbeam owners are generally driven - bordering on obsessive-" No judgement here, just stating historical observations. "-and that's reflected in the loyalty of the wand, and in the way it can quickly adapt to its owner's magic style. Because it's so adaptable, so personalised, others may find it next to impossible to use this wand. As hornbeam absorbs the code of honour and integrity of its owner, it generally refuses to perform acts that do not reflect those principles." Which, in its way, made so much sense for a wand so attracted to those dedicated visionaries, with their distinct driving ambitions. "Griffin claw wands tend to choose dextrous users, who can cast spells with finesse; you'll find that delicate wand movements feel most natural. Protection spells and shields will be easier to master, and these wands are ill-suited to dark magic pursuits or nefarious endeavours. They bond closely to their original owners, and don't make for wands that are easy to pass on to another."

Just in case there was any doubt about just how loyal this wand was. Hornbeam and griffin claw; one of the most faithful combinations out there.

"Now then... the wand is priced at 9 galleons, and we have some other products you may be interested in today." As he spoke, Zeke gestured up at the list of products and services.

_________

[10⅔ inch unyielding hornbeam with griffin claw]

SPOILER!!: Lissy Longbottom

Hmm, tricky customer eh? At first, Zeke was also under the impression that nothing had happened - though, learning from experience, was still prepared for things to start flying around or some such after a moment's delay. A rustle of movement on the floor caught his eye, and he gave a little chuckle. The wand set on sabotaging the wielder was perhaps not the one.

"Don't forget to tie those up before we're done here," he advised the lad, with the best of intentions, turning to consider their options once more. Really, that narrowed things right down, and so Zeke confidently plucked a third box from the pile, and removed its lid, offering the wand inside to the boy once more.

"Third time's the charm!" Ah... so to speak.

SPOILER!!: SilverTiger

Well, at least there was no need for any intervention regarding the burning of the fingers, but all the same, Zeke felt for the girl. Always a positive sign, however, when these kids got straight back to trying the next one, however hesitant they seemed; some needed some extra encouragement, and that was fine by him too, but Merlin knew they often ended up getting self-conscious about that as well.

But no, this girl got there on her own, and reaped the rewards almost at once. He saw the response in her body language, rather than any magical effect, and she soon confirmed it. Zeke beamed. "That is excellent news. I think so too; which means we have a match."

Which meant that he now had the opportunity to flex that wandmaker knowledge. "This is eleven and three quarter inches of hard hickory, with a unicorn hair core. Now, hickory is rather in touch with nature and has an affinity with Herbology and plant magic, earth and air elements. It is also excellent for divination and for any spells which require creation of, or give a semblance of, life - animating objects, and such like - or encouraging new growth. An excellent wood for those who wish to develop their leadership skills, and one that seeks those with good intentions." Zeke had still yet to learn of a dark magic user who had been match with a hickory wand, or who at least used a hickory wand for dark magic. But then, he couldn't claim to know the history of every wand owner, or wand, or the uses of those wands, in the world. "Unicorn hair wands are very faithful, and are the least likely to fluctuate in the magic they produce. Very smooth, reliable, and consistent. Excellent for charms, transfigurations, and healing spells. Generally most in tune with subtle, delicate magic. Very difficult to turn towards the dark arts." Though not impossible, not that he was making such recommendations. And in any case, with the wood... but anyway. There they had it.

"The wand by itself will be 10 galleons, and we have a selection of accessories and other products too, if you're interested." Zeke nodded towards the price board, and held out the wand box so that the wand might be temporarily returned while he rang it, and anything else, up.

_________

[11¾ inch hard hickory with unicorn hair]

SPOILER!!: FearlessLeader19

"You are most welcome," Zeke replied, with a broad smile on his face, before giving a nod and starting to collect the desired products. It was not lost on him that this was the most he'd heard the boy speak so far, but Zeke had more than enough tact not to remark upon it or really bring attention to it at all.

"Alright, altogether that's..." he began, starting to bundle the holster, other products, and novelty wands together. "Twen-... ah, perfect." Finishing up there, he counted the coins into his cash register and slid the other purchases across the counter. "Thank you very much. You're all set. Best of luck to you and your new wand."

SPOILER!!: Nordic Witch

Goodness gracious. Zeke was used to some of his young customers being oversharers (and some being the exact opposite) but occasionally one would bring him up short for a moment. He cast the briefest of glances towards the chaperoning adult (whom he now knew was definitely not the parent), before nodding at the girl again. He opted... not to linger on that exact topic, but smiled kindly. "I'll see what I can do. The wand chooses the witch or wizard, but we use a number of cores, so the odds are in your favour there."

But the first wand? Apparently not in her favour. Zeke was not about to just cast random healing spells on children unless it was a real emergency - especially when their appropriate adult was already present and likely preferred to be in control of that sort of thing - so when he drew his own wand it was to quickly conjure up a fresh, clean handkerchief. "Here you are, my dear. Lean your head forward and breathe through your mouth." He looked towards the girl's chaperone to see if she wanted to step in or let it run its course. That wand must have had a real kick behind it, but even so, Zeke didn't think the nosebleed was likely to last a terribly long time without treatment. "Once you're all set, we can try another," he added, in his most kindly tone.

SPOILER!!: Zoe

As always, Zeke stood by, watchful and waiting for something to happen, anything from a refusal to perform all the way up to a magical effect of the sort he or one of the apprentices would need to tend to right away. This one, however, was on the less-responsive end of the spectrum, and-

Oh, not so. He realised, after a moment, that the eventual effects would initially be more evident to his customer, if that ice was anything to go by. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, in case it turned out she found the response to be fitting, welcoming, but was not surprised when the opposite turned out to be true.

"Understood," he said, giving a nod, and setting aside the first wand to be cleaned up later on. Zeke considered what he'd just seen, looking over their options, before picking out another wand box. "Let's see if we have any more luck with this one." With that, he nudged the lid off the box, and offered the wand inside it to the girl, along with another little smile.

SPOILER!!: Waddles

It took a lot of self restraint not to so much as chuckle at the boy's expression, though Zeke could not repress a smile, nor did he want to. Of course he couldn't be sure which part was so worthy of the slight jaw-dropping.

At least until he'd rung up the wand, slid it partway back across the counter, and held out his hands to take the galleons. "As I remember it, that particular unicorn resided in a nature reserve, down in the New Forest. She wasn't named, at least not by humans. Those who run the reserve tend not to name the creatures, respecting their preference to run wild." Oh yes. Very much wild. Plucking that hair had been... an experience.

"I think you're just about all set, unless there's anything else you'd like to know?"

SPOILER!!: Harron Peasley

"I would absolutely encourage playing to your - and your wand's - strengths," said Zeke, though only once the words were out of his mouth did it occur to him he might end up with some upset parents and/or guardians if he was perceived to be encouraging duelling. Some weren't eager to have their little darlings getting into things like that. Well. Too late now.

... and the girl seemed reluctant to part with the wand, but, seeing as they would in fact be paying together, Zeke had set the wand box down again for the time being. He'd box both wands up once they were done here. Plus give reassurance, if needed, though he wasn't sure this particular customer would be so open about any potential separation anxiety with the wand as her twin was with her. Though he could be wrong. He sometimes was. Just not about wands.

SPOILER!!: kayquilz

Sweet mother of Merlin, it took almost all his willpower for Zeke to refrain from covering his own ears - big reactions to the effects of some of the unsuccessful matches could sometimes make his young customers more anxious than was strictly necessary.

"Not to worry, not to worry at all." With the screeching dispensed fading into silence again, he down to retrieve the wand - both knees creaking for his trouble - before straightening up again and placing it back inside its box. "Let's find another for you to try shall we?" And he regarded the options once again, and slid out a wand box from the bottom of the pile.

"Same again then, please," Zeke said, with another smile, lifting the lid from the box and holding it out, so that the boy could take the wand.

SPOILER!!: thestralyew19

His newest customer might not have seen Zeke or ~~his minions~~ the other Ollivanders staff, but he was certainly present. Where, exactly? That might have become clear when the enchanted parchment that recorded measurements collected by the measuring tape whizzed over the counter and dropped down behind it.

A moment later, the man himself appeared, popping up from behind the counter, sending his cleaning rags soaring into the back room to put themselves away with a flick of his wand. These quiet days, it paid to be productive. Zeke couldn't help but get a little cleaning and organising in.

"Hello, hello," he greeted the girl who stood before him, smiling warmly at her. "Well then, let's find you a wand, shall we?" He plucked the parchment from the air - it had followed him up again - and consulted the information written upon it, before moving around the shop, pulling down various boxes. Wands that had the best chances of matches, after a little narrowing down, if necessary, though he was confident they would not need to try them all. Perhaps they might even get it on the first attempt. When he had a promising selection, Zeke returned to the front of the shop and set the wands on the counter.

"Now," he said, considering their options and picking up one of the wand boxes before turning to the girl and smiling once more. "Do you know what to do? Just take the wand, give it a wave, and we'll see what happens. Tell me if it feels right." As to what that meant, she may well soon find out. Zeke removed the lid from the box and presented the wand inside for her to try, nodding his encouragement.

SPOILER!!: Shanners

Zeke gave a little chuckle; this child was doing wonders for his self-esteem. He'd be sure to tell his daughters and his husband (the latter of whom was only two years his junior in any case) that he was not, in fact, old. The young lady had said so. "You're quite right. Just a little dramatic, perhaps." And self-aware! Sometimes.

He waited patiently for the girl to get the reassurance she sought from the group outside the window - as much as he would have liked to remind her that a couple of them could join her, if she liked, he refrained, because she'd made the clear decision to come in and do this alone. As always, his patience paid off; he detected a match about a half-second before it occurred. The effects were so fitting, judging by what she had already said about flowers, that it was abundantly clear to him.

"They were indeed, and you were right again! This is exactly the wand for you. We have a match." He smiled again, broadly now, and waited for that to sink in before he launched into the rest, though he held the box at the ready for it to be tucked away again, ready for payment.

"Now then, this wand is twelve inches of bendy willow, with a billywig sting core. Willow wands have an affinity for those with good intuition, who are willing to work hard and do the right thing. They are very well-suited to healing magic, water spells, and for divination purposes; also to advanced non-verbal magic." Something to keep in mind, but that was unlikely to be relevant until later down the line, school-wise. "This wood often matches with those who have great potential-" And some often unwarranted insecurity, though naturally Zeke didn't point that out in the middle of the busy shop. "-and there's an old saying; 'He - or she - who has furthest to travel will go fastest with willow.' The billywig sting makes it excellent for charms work in particular, especially spells to do with lift and propulsion. Billywig wands are highly dependable, relatively quick to master, and can be relied upon to produce magic in any situation - though at first it won't be terribly well-suited to situations where an element of stealth is required in the casting. Likes to be noticed, you know. But that's a tendency you can tame, in time."

And that was that! It was a lot of information, so Zeke had tried not to get too carried away, to let the information sink in a bit. Most of it was on the little information card in the box in any case. "The wand is priced at 11 galleons, and we also have some other items available, if you're interested." He pointed towards the price board, where everything was listed.

_________

[12 inch bendy willow with billywig sting]

Lissy Longbottom · 08-24-2023, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Hmm, tricky customer eh? At first, Zeke was also under the impression that nothing had happened - though, learning from experience, was still prepared for things to start flying around or some such after a moment's delay. A rustle of movement on the floor caught his eye, and he gave a little chuckle. The wand set on sabotaging the wielder was perhaps not the one.

"Don't forget to tie those up before we're done here," he advised the lad, with the best of intentions, turning to consider their options once more. Really, that narrowed things right down, and so Zeke confidently plucked a third box from the pile, and removed its lid, offering the wand inside to the boy once more.

"Third time's the charm!" Ah... so to speak.

Sammy nodded and of course took that to mean 'drop what you're doing and tie them right now' and honestly, it was for the best. He would have definitely forgotten if he waited. So, he paused and bent down to tie his shoelaces quickly before popping back up with a grin. He eagerly grabbed the next wand and took a deep breath. Third times the charm? He sure hoped so...

He cleared his throat, waved his wand, and watched as colorful rainbow sparks erupted from the end of it. He grinned, realizing that he knew the second he'd picked it up that this WAS his wand. He just...felt it. WOWWWW! How cool!

"I think this is the one!" he said excitedly to the shopkeeper.

*Nordic Witch* · 08-24-2023, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Goodness gracious. Zeke was used to some of his young customers being oversharers (and some being the exact opposite) but occasionally one would bring him up short for a moment. He cast the briefest of glances towards the chaperoning adult (whom he now knew was definitely not the parent), before nodding at the girl again. He opted... not to linger on that exact topic, but smiled kindly. "I'll see what I can do. The wand chooses the witch or wizard, but we use a number of cores, so the odds are in your favour there."

But the first wand? Apparently not in her favour. Zeke was not about to just cast random healing spells on children unless it was a real emergency - especially when their appropriate adult was already present and likely preferred to be in control of that sort of thing - so when he drew his own wand it was to quickly conjure up a fresh, clean handkerchief. "Here you are, my dear. Lean your head forward and breathe through your mouth." He looked towards the girl's chaperone to see if she wanted to step in or let it run its course. That wand must have had a real kick behind it, but even so, Zeke didn't think the nosebleed was likely to last a terribly long time without treatment. "Once you're all set, we can try another," he added, in his most kindly tone.

The wand chooses the witch or wizard. Emmie sort of understood what mister shopkeeper man meant maybe, but she still hoped that she'd get a wand that didn't have a dragon core. When the wand backclashed on her, and hit her nose super hard Emmie had given off a cry of pain that probably wasn't very lady-like, and loud enough to be heard all the way to the potions shop where her brother was buying a new potions kit. "Thank you Sir!" she mumbled to the kind man as she accepted the clean handkerchief with a weak smile as she turned to auntie Laurel that now had hurried over. In a jiffy auntie Laurel had fixed her nose up, and gotten all the blood away with a few flicks of her wand.

After auntie Laurel had given her a long hug, and made sure that she was all right, and that her nose didn't hurt Emmie turned back to mister wandman again. Taking a step back to the counter she fired off a weak, but bright smile and affirmed to him. "Now I'm ready to try a new wand! I bet this wand will be my match!" Silently she wished that this wand was kind, and cooperative and not a meanie.

kayquilz · 08-24-2023, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Sweet mother of Merlin, it took almost all his willpower for Zeke to refrain from covering his own ears - big reactions to the effects of some of the unsuccessful matches could sometimes make his young customers more anxious than was strictly necessary.

"Not to worry, not to worry at all." With the screeching dispensed fading into silence again, he down to retrieve the wand - both knees creaking for his trouble - before straightening up again and placing it back inside its box. "Let's find another for you to try shall we?" And he regarded the options once again, and slid out a wand box from the bottom of the pile.

"Same again then, please," Zeke said, with another smile, lifting the lid from the box and holding it out, so that the boy could take the wand.

Roman was glad the wand-man seemed nonplussed by the noise; he would have been so embarrassed to have caused the man any sort of discomfort. Afterall, this was the man's job, and Roman didn't envy him. Over summers, he had to deal with school-aged kids needing their first wands, and it just seemed like suuuuuuch a hassle. He eyed some of the other first years milling about waiting to be fitted....some of them were obnoxious.

Poor guy.

"Oh...er....thank you, sir," he said quietly as he took the next wand. He liked the way this one felt in his hand, and he twirled it around his fingers again. Then, he brandished it and gasped.

HE HAD DONE REAL MAGIC.

A flurry of the most beautiful snowflakes he had ever seen were seeping out of the end of his wand in almost a dance, and one of them even drifted over to Roman and landed right on his nose. Roman smirked and looked pleased with himself. "D-did I do it?" he asked the man nervously. "Is that good, sir?"

SilverTiger · 08-25-2023, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Well, at least there was no need for any intervention regarding the burning of the fingers, but all the same, Zeke felt for the girl. Always a positive sign, however, when these kids got straight back to trying the next one, however hesitant they seemed; some needed some extra encouragement, and that was fine by him too, but Merlin knew they often ended up getting self-conscious about that as well.

But no, this girl got there on her own, and reaped the rewards almost at once. He saw the response in her body language, rather than any magical effect, and she soon confirmed it. Zeke beamed. "That is excellent news. I think so too; which means we have a match."

Which meant that he now had the opportunity to flex that wandmaker knowledge. "This is eleven and three quarter inches of hard hickory, with a unicorn hair core. Now, hickory is rather in touch with nature and has an affinity with Herbology and plant magic, earth and air elements. It is also excellent for divination and for any spells which require creation of, or give a semblance of, life - animating objects, and such like - or encouraging new growth. An excellent wood for those who wish to develop their leadership skills, and one that seeks those with good intentions." Zeke had still yet to learn of a dark magic user who had been match with a hickory wand, or who at least used a hickory wand for dark magic. But then, he couldn't claim to know the history of every wand owner, or wand, or the uses of those wands, in the world. "Unicorn hair wands are very faithful, and are the least likely to fluctuate in the magic they produce. Very smooth, reliable, and consistent. Excellent for charms, transfigurations, and healing spells. Generally most in tune with subtle, delicate magic. Very difficult to turn towards the dark arts." Though not impossible, not that he was making such recommendations. And in any case, with the wood... but anyway. There they had it.

"The wand by itself will be 10 galleons, and we have a selection of accessories and other products too, if you're interested." Zeke nodded towards the price board, and held out the wand box so that the wand might be temporarily returned while he rang it, and anything else, up.

_________

[11¾ inch hard hickory with unicorn hair]

She was nothing if not resilient, for sure. Arienne tried to not let her family down by any means necessary, even if generally she was really bright and welcoming. She wasn’t going to let a mean wand get her down, anyway. Especially when the second was so much nicer. Having seen the events from the others who had been before her in the shop queue, it was obvious it could’ve gone way worse, and her tears had dried rather quickly anyhow. Had they actually betrayed her, because she honestly wasn’t sure from the wandmaker man’s reaction. Maybe she’d cried, maybe not.

Either way, he had agreed with her on the matter of the second wand having been so much nicer. That it had liked her, even though she was very aware that there hadn’t been a physical magical reaction. Just the really really good feeling, and she was unaware as well that she’d given anything out with her body language. (Actually, she was fully unaware that she could be awfully obvious with her body language in general)

She had listened intently as he had gone on to explain her new wand in detail, wanting to make sure she remembered it in case anyone asked her later. Dad, Grandpa Albert, the twins…it was possible. Plus, the idea that she could use her wand to animate things was fascinating. “So my wand could be good for making things seem alive?”, she asked, curious and already imagining using it to entertain her brothers or any number of other possibilities. There had been lots of kinda big words in what he’d said, too, but she thought she understood. Plus, Grandma Elizabeth had been in the Order and fought in the battle so her wand being difficult to turn dark seemed awfully good.

She had to check the little pouch of coins she had as the explanation had moved on to payment, but she thought she had enough for what she wanted. Because obviously she needed other stuff along with her wand. “Can I have bundle #1 too, with a pink holster? What kind of holster do you think would be best for me?”, she asked after she had finished checking to see if she had enough. Besides, mum and Grandma Elizabeth were right outside so she could always ask them for more if she had to. But she figured he would know better about what kind of holster would work best.

slythief2000 · 08-25-2023, 01:33 AM

Almost like a magnet, something was pulling at his mind. Even though he had progressed through his list of school supplies, this shop seemed to be calling him. "what do you need next?" his father asked. "It says, I need a wand..." Mathius replied. It felt like standing on an event horizon, there was no choice, not entering this building wasn't in the stars. Those few steps into the shop crossed something, if only in his mind. The cat lounging about his neck and shoulders didn't seemed to pay the transition any mind. But like a recumbent queen, grace someone in the shop with the immeasurable honor of blinking at them for a second or two, before losing interest.

Mathius slowly approached the odd measuring implements, quite a few kids had already been calculated and given their wands. with an out stretched hand he began the process, the tapes and rulers even seeming to take his squashy cats stance into question.

Waddles · 08-25-2023, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

It took a lot of self restraint not to so much as chuckle at the boy's expression, though Zeke could not repress a smile, nor did he want to. Of course he couldn't be sure which part was so worthy of the slight jaw-dropping.

At least until he'd rung up the wand, slid it partway back across the counter, and held out his hands to take the galleons. "As I remember it, that particular unicorn resided in a nature reserve, down in the New Forest. She wasn't named, at least not by humans. Those who run the reserve tend not to name the creatures, respecting their preference to run wild." Oh yes. Very much wild. Plucking that hair had been... an experience.

"I think you're just about all set, unless there's anything else you'd like to know?"

A wild unicorn from a forest?! Kenneth couldn't believe it. He had thought if he got the unicorn's name he might go find it and thank it, but if it was a wild unicorn...he assumed wild unicorns were like other wild animals, in that they shouldn't be bothered. Which correlated nicely with what the shopkeeper had said about names.

He looked to his uncle, to make sure there wasn't anything else in this shop to take care of. Seeing there wasn't, he turned back to the shopkeeper and shook his head. "No, just the wand, thank you, sir," he said politely. His thoughts immediately drifted back to the wild unicorn... he wondered if there were any tame unicorns, that he could meet.

Chelliephone · 08-25-2023, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

"Not to worry," Zeke said to the boy, while acknowledging privately to himself that he seemed exactly the type to worry regardless. Still. It was always better to reassure, even if he suspected it would be in vain. "Perfectly alright. I've seen much worse."

He'd have picked the wand up himself, but the lad was quick off the mark with that. Zeke considered his question thoughtfully. "Well... some do describe a sort of warm, tingly feeling, from their fingers all the way up to their shoulder, when a wand has chosen them. If it's uncomfortable or unpleasant, it might not be the one - it's likely you'll just know if it's the right one." After another pause, he picked up another of the boxes and opened it up, just in case. "Do you think that one feels right, or would you like to try this one, and see how they compare?" He held the box out, offering the second for him to take if he felt so inclined. "You're very welcome to do so, if you have any doubts." The most important thing, after all, was to ensure his customers felt confident, happy, or comfortable with the wand they left the shop with.

The encouragement from everyone was truly very appreciated, and Drake gave smiles to all of his three companions - particularly his sister as he felt a bit braver with her wealth of knowledge on the wand cores. He knew she was probably just sharing the information because she liked to, but the familiarity of Gilly knowing a lot about everything helped calm him just the slightest bit.

At least, it had until he'd nearly dropped the wand on the ground (what if it BROKE?) And then he couldn't even TELL if the reaction his hand had had to his wand actually meant it was the ONE. He was feeling anxious all over again, but the wandmaker seemed to take it well in stride as he simply offered another for Drake to try to compare and contrast. Giving a nod of his head, the 11 year old determined this time he would NOT yeet the wand towards the ground - no matter the reaction. Which was much easier said than done, as he reached in and tentatively picked it up, only for the thing to then shoot a blast of red lights from the tip with a rather loud BOOM side. Once again, he wanted to let go but instead of doing it over open air, Drake did it over the open box - letting the wood drop back into place.

"The first one! I think the first one WAS the right one!" It felt much more natural in his hand than that had had. And a warmth sounded much better than a BANG. He was still a little nervous and his hand showed a small shake, which he promptly shoved into his pocket to hide, but overall... there was more excitement now that he'd found his match.

thestralyew19 · 08-26-2023, 06:44 AM

Quote:

His newest customer might not have seen Zeke or his minions the other Ollivanders staff, but he was certainly present. Where, exactly? That might have become clear when the enchanted parchment that recorded measurements collected by the measuring tape whizzed over the counter and dropped down behind it.

A moment later, the man himself appeared, popping up from behind the counter, sending his cleaning rags soaring into the back room to put themselves away with a flick of his wand. These quiet days, it paid to be productive. Zeke couldn't help but get a little cleaning and organising in.

"Hello, hello," he greeted the girl who stood before him, smiling warmly at her. "Well then, let's find you a wand, shall we?" He plucked the parchment from the air - it had followed him up again - and consulted the information written upon it, before moving around the shop, pulling down various boxes. Wands that had the best chances of matches, after a little narrowing down, if necessary, though he was confident they would not need to try them all. Perhaps they might even get it on the first attempt. When he had a promising selection, Zeke returned to the front of the shop and set the wands on the counter.

"Now," he said, considering their options and picking up one of the wand boxes before turning to the girl and smiling once more. "Do you know what to do? Just take the wand, give it a wave, and we'll see what happens. Tell me if it feels right." As to what that meant, she may well soon find out. Zeke removed the lid from the box and presented the wand inside for her to try, nodding his encouragement.

Alyx stood by the counter, holding the wand. Hesitantly, she waved it, and glitter misted through the air. Alyx wondered if this was the true essence of magic itself. And she was holding a tool that she could use to harness it. She looked at the shopkeeper.

"I believe this wand is right." She smiled and shifted a lock of hair behind her ear. She glanced up at Zeke and hoped he was pleased with the response the wand had given her.

"Do you think so too?" She asked but she didn't need to know anything else. This wand was what she had wanted for a very long time even before she received her letter from Hogwarts.

Kolyander · 08-26-2023, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Frankly, Zeke was exceedingly proud of himself for keeping his composure - for barely reacting, in fact - at the sight of the dreaded flames in his shop. These things happened; fire occasionally did appear for either a successful or unsuccessful match (the hazardousness depending on which context it appeared in). Only a slight twitch of his wand hand, ready to reach for his own if it were necessary, and an even slighter widening of his eye were the only signs. But a fraction of a second later, once the flames were already fading, he broke into a broad beam.

"Wonderful news. Yes, I think you're right; this wand has chosen you." In other words: a match! Which meant, of course, "Of course it can be yours." Once paid for, of course. Zeke held out the wand box so it might be returned in order for him to ring it up.

But first, the specifications. "This wand is ten inches and two thirds of hornbeam, unyielding, with a core of griffin claw. Hornbeam is excellent for defensive spells, and a very loyal wand; hornbeam owners are generally driven - bordering on obsessive-" No judgement here, just stating historical observations. "-and that's reflected in the loyalty of the wand, and in the way it can quickly adapt to its owner's magic style. Because it's so adaptable, so personalised, others may find it next to impossible to use this wand. As hornbeam absorbs the code of honour and integrity of its owner, it generally refuses to perform acts that do not reflect those principles." Which, in its way, made so much sense for a wand so attracted to those dedicated visionaries, with their distinct driving ambitions. "Griffin claw wands tend to choose dextrous users, who can cast spells with finesse; you'll find that delicate wand movements feel most natural. Protection spells and shields will be easier to master, and these wands are ill-suited to dark magic pursuits or nefarious endeavours. They bond closely to their original owners, and don't make for wands that are easy to pass on to another."

Just in case there was any doubt about just how loyal this wand was. Hornbeam and griffin claw; one of the most faithful combinations out there.

"Now then... the wand is priced at 9 galleons, and we have some other products you may be interested in today." As he spoke, Zeke gestured up at the list of products and services.

_________

[10⅔ inch unyielding hornbeam with griffin claw]

Had anything bad come from the small flames that had emerged from the tip of the wand, Bryony would have been all sorts of disappointed. Imagine being the one to harm someone or things in the wand shop?! That would have been a terrible, horrible feeling. Thankfully that wasn't the case at all. Everything was safe and this wand was going to be hers.

"Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The smallest Paton child squealed in pure delight bouncing in a circle as she clutched the wand to her chest. "Did you hear that? I've found MY wand!" Bryony smiled bright at Ary, Drake and Gilly. It seemed only Gilly needed to find hers now. When the box was held out towards her, she very carefully laid her new wand back inside of it.

Rocking back and forth on her feet, she listened very intently to every single word that the wandmaker man was telling her. Bright blue eyes widened nearly instantly when she heard what the wand was made of and how 'loyal' it was. There was even a giggle from her when he had said that it was almost obsessive, it sounded a lot like her! "Isn't hornbeam wood very strong? Does that mean my wand is strong too? An-and did you get the griffin claw that's inside of it?! How did you get it?!" Already she had many questions but she couldn't help it, she wanted to know everything about her wand. "I really really like that it's only meant for me and others will find it very difficult to use." Protection spells and shield charms were going to be some of her easiest to learn, this very noted all too quickly.

As for what else she wanted or needed.. she already knew but she had some questions about this as well. "Does the holster for bundle one come in dragon colors? Like Antipodean Opaleye.. if not then pink would be great too. And umm.. I'm not sure which type of holster would be best for me. I'm extremely active and I want to make sure that there isn't any chance that my wand could fall out of the holster or break if I accidentally fall or anything." Training took a LOT of work and being constantly on the go meant she needed to keep her want safe.

FearlessLeader19 · 08-27-2023, 12:18 AM

SPOILER!!: Zeke! <3

Ary was just happy when anyone new he came in contact with, rolled with his quietness. The silly comments like: “Oh, you’re so quiet” or “You should talk more” only served to irritate him. The wand shopkeeper was simply a sport. Just for that, the boy would make sure he ordered wand polishes only from Ollivander’s in the future. Ary collected his new acquisitions with a wide smile. “Thank you for everything.” A wave was given to the man before departing.

Ary moved over to Bry when he was sure she had gotten her wand {which was difficult NOT to be unsure of since she had practically yelled that she had}. He was quite keen on knowing what her wand comprised, as he was of Gilly’s and Drake’s. Perhaps they could compare notes when they were all outside? Also, he needed to check that Drake wasn't so anxious right now.

AlwaysSnapesGirl · 08-27-2023, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Alas, the Ollivanders red carpet was currently out of commission - sent away for cleaning, perhaps - which was a real blow given the number of important days it was missing. Nevertheless, Zeke was determined to make these occasions really live up to expectations. It was, after all, one of the most special days of a young witch or wizard's life, here in this country. The first wand.

And so he was beaming as he approached his next customer, the enchanted parchment having flown away to record more measurements after delivering its information, laden with a small stack of wand boxes. He set them almost reverently on the counter, and addressed the girl.

"Hello there. Ready for the big event?" Yes? Yes? Good. But rather than just opening the one box, Zeke de-lidded three at once, and held them all out. "Let's try it this way; pick one your feel drawn to and give it a wave, and we'll see what's what." It was nice doing it this way from time to time; occasionally, there would be that instant pull between wand and owner, but mostly he just thought it beneficial to have the child feel a little more in control of the process.

Of course. Sometimes it backfired, and the pressure of choosing got to be too much, or else his (not inconsiderable) wandmaking talents were called into question, so... Zeke used that approach sparingly.

It seemed like AGES, and yet somehow, the moment she saw the shopkeeper carrying a few wand boxes and looking at HER, it felt like the waiting had taken no time at all.

It was time! HER time! Her wand was SO CLOSE now - she could practically FEEL it. But whether that was the magic at work or whether it was just her imagination, well, who could say?

"Yes, sir!" So polite, she was, yes? Florence wouldn't let her excitement get in the way of manners. She was certain her gran would approve...though it suddenly became more difficult to hold back as she watched the wandmaker uncover THREE of the boxes.

SHE would get to pick?

Oh, she liked this man very much.

"That sounds good." And without the slightest hesitation, she picked the first one, gave it a wave...

...

Nothing.

Hmph. No matter.

With a frown and a "no," Florence set it back in its box and selected the next one.

At first, nothing again- but then came a thin, wispy, pitiful little stream of smoke from the end, falling toward the floor instead of up toward the ceiling.

"Nope." Definitely not.

That one too was returned to the box, and the third was selected.

The moment she held it in her hand, the difference was immediate. Her hand grew warm, and the warmth quickly spread up her arm and through the rest of her body. A blue flame sparked to life at the wand's tip - not a wild burst of fire, but more contained like a candle. Soft, steady, strong.

Florence couldn't have held back the grin that lit her face even if she had wanted to. "It's gotta be this one."

Felixir · 08-27-2023, 05:46 PM

SPOILER!!: Lissy Longbottom

Zeke opened his mouth to speak, but the boy was already going right ahead and dealing with those laces, so he just... left him to it. Probably better than forgetting and tripping right over them once they were done here. He was not thinking primarily of the wand's safety in that instance, but it was certainly up there.

And, speaking of the wand...

Zeke really did have to suppress a smile every time the young man cleared his throat prior to testing the wands, but he did not suppress the smile that came from seeing the clear signs of a match. Especially the rainbow sparks. Man loved a rainbow.

"You know, I think you're absolutely right," Zeke agreed, with a nod for good measure. "Congratulations!" Big moment and all.

And now it was Zeke's turn for a little throat clearing, because he had some information to impart. Uh... quite an important piece of information, come to think of it. "This wand is thirteen inches of springy sycamore, with a fwooper feather core. Now, sycamore is a wand that thrives on spontaneous use; while you're in school, learning exciting new things, it will be content, but it's important to remember for later on that if it's allowed to become 'bored', sycamore wands have been known - on occasion - to spontaneously burst into flame. So. Keep it entertained." Some wizards and witches might find that more difficult than others, of course... but then again, the sycamore wand tended to choose well. Still, they weren't prophetic. Anything could happen in the future. "It makes for a brilliant wand - versatile, suited to the intelligent and motivated individual, and creative uses - but its brilliance will face if its life gets too mundane." Adventure! Unexpected pursuits! Anything but being limited to being solely used as a house key, et cetera! "Those with fwooper feather wands will have a knack for spells with an effect on the mind - cheering, memory, and confundus charms, things like that. It also has an affinity with Care of Magical Creatures and Charms in general, but doesn't much like to cooperate much with spells like Quietus or Silencio." Unfortunate, but we all have our vices.

"The wand is priced at 9 galleons," Zeke said, holding out the box again so that the wand might be placed back inside it, so that he could ring it up and complete the transaction. "And he have other products you may be interested in, too."

_________

[13 inch springy sycamore with fwooper feather]

SPOILER!!: Nordic Witch

Now, that was a relief. Once the girl was all fixed up and blood-free again, Zeke's look of concern relaxed into a smile, which he directed at the woman and then to his young customer. "There we are, good, good."

And good that she was willing to try again! He nodded, and turned at once to the selection of wands he'd picked out. Hmm, now... how about... ah! Yes, this one seemed much more fitting - or at least more likely to be a bit kinder in its protestations, if it came to that. Zeke turned to the girl again, smiling brightly, and lifted the lid from the box.

"That's the spirit," he said, and offered the wand inside to the girl. "Let's see how you go with this one..."

SPOILER!!: kayquilz

Always interesting to see what magical effects these kids produced with their wands - although, not to be a sap or anything, but seeing the wand choose an owner was the best sight all around (at least in a wand shop) no matter how it came about. The snow was really quite charming, and a welcome sight mid-summer... at least as long as it remained a brief novelty. Zeke did not actually want to wake up to real snow tomorrow morning.

"You did, absolutely you did it," he said, nodding enthusiastically. "That's very good. I think it's clear we have a match!" Zeke held out the wand box again, so that it might be replaced - though only for the sake of completing the transaction. In the meantime, the specifications.

"This wand is ten and a half inches of acacia, rather firm, with unicorn hair. Notoriously difficult to make a match with acacia; they are very particular about who they choose, and will often refuse to perform magic for anyone but their owner, yet withhold their full power from all but the most talented." If that sounded like a challenge, Zeke didn't think it was a bad one. He liked to think it was motivating - inspiring - to be matched with such a wand. "Best for those with a subtlety to their magic - which makes it ideal with this core - and excellent for those sensitive to the nuances of magic. Acacia can take some time to master, but those who do can perform very complex magic. As a wand wood, it's well-suited to personal protection." Ideal, really, no matter what kind of thing one embarked on in the future. "Unicorn hair makes for a very faithful wand, consistent and reliable. Well suited to charms, transfigurations, and healing spells, and difficult to turn toward the dark arts. As is the case with this wood, it's more in tune with subtle, delicate magic. These cores don't always make the most powerful wands, but when combined with acacia, it's quite capable of great things." A charming combination, quite charming.

Visibly pleased with a wand well matched, Zeke gave it an approving look. "The wand by itself will be 12 galleons. We also have some other products and services available, if you're interested." As always, he gestured towards the price board, placed nearby for easy reference.

_________

[10½ inch rather firm acacia with unicorn hair]

SPOILER!!: SilverTiger

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverTiger

She was nothing if not resilient, for sure. Arienne tried to not let her family down by any means necessary, even if generally she was really bright and welcoming. She wasn’t going to let a mean wand get her down, anyway. Especially when the second was so much nicer. Having seen the events from the others who had been before her in the shop queue, it was obvious it could’ve gone way worse, and her tears had dried rather quickly anyhow. Had they actually betrayed her, because she honestly wasn’t sure from the wandmaker man’s reaction. Maybe she’d cried, maybe not.

Either way, he had agreed with her on the matter of the second wand having been so much nicer. That it had liked her, even though she was very aware that there hadn’t been a physical magical reaction. Just the really really good feeling, and she was unaware as well that she’d given anything out with her body language. (Actually, she was fully unaware that she could be awfully obvious with her body language in general)

She had listened intently as he had gone on to explain her new wand in detail, wanting to make sure she remembered it in case anyone asked her later. Dad, Grandpa Albert, the twins…it was possible. Plus, the idea that she could use her wand to animate things was fascinating. “So my wand could be good for making things seem alive?”, she asked, curious and already imagining using it to entertain her brothers or any number of other possibilities. There had been lots of kinda big words in what he’d said, too, but she thought she understood. Plus, Grandma Elizabeth had been in the Order and fought in the battle so her wand being difficult to turn dark seemed awfully good.

She had to check the little pouch of coins she had as the explanation had moved on to payment, but she thought she had enough for what she wanted. Because obviously she needed other stuff along with her wand. “Can I have bundle #1 too, with a pink holster? What kind of holster do you think would be best for me?”, she asked after she had finished checking to see if she had enough. Besides, mum and Grandma Elizabeth were right outside so she could always ask them for more if she had to. But she figured he would know better about what kind of holster would work best.

"Precisely," Zeke said, nodding. "You'll find they teach you a fair number of spells like that at school. Charms, generally." Though don't quote him on that; it had been some time since his school days, long enough for him to forget specifics. Still. He felt fairly confident in that statement.

"You can indeed. That will come to 18 galleons." With that, Zeke set about collecting the polish and conditioning oil, setting it on the counter to bundle it together with the wand, and then paused before the holsters. "Personally, I think the wrist holsters are the most convenient, and most secure. Ideal for students and everyday situations." But he waited for confirmation before picking one out, so as not to presume.

SPOILER!!: slythief2000

Zeke, having just finished up the most recent transaction, slid the cash register drawer shut and turned to begin the process of finding and fitting the next customer, only to be hit with a two-pronged attack. The enchanted parchment - not for the first time - got him with a direct hit in the face, and the tape measure - now finished with its measuring and waiting for its next task, collided a second later, giving his head a nice hug.

There was a moment of confused scuffling as Zeke freed himself again and peeled the parchment from his face, just in time to see the tape measure zipping off again in a manner he could only describe as 'gleefully troublesome'. Unprofessional. But it did do its job well, so...

Speaking of, the wandmaker gathered himself, and consulted the measurements, nodding to himself and ruling out options on the spot. He made a quick tour of the shelves, collecting potential wands, and stopped at last in front of his next customer.

"Hello there," he greeted the boy - and... cat? Cat. Sure, why not - with much enthusiasm. "Ready to find your wand?"

Still smiling broadly, he plucked three wand boxes from the options he had gathered - the most likely contenders, in his humble and yet expert opinion - and removed the lids from each. He liked doing it this way sometimes. "See which of these you feel drawn to, and maybe the feeling will be mutual. Pick a wand, give it a wave, and tell me if it feels right." And perhaps they would also see it in the way the wand performed.

SPOILER!!: Waddles

Zeke beamed at the boy. "You're very welcome, young man," he said, utterly genuine. Nodding to both him, and to the adult who had accompanied him, he added, "Best of luck to you and your new wand."

And he was definitely hoping to hear about whatever name the boy came up with for it. Naturally.

SPOILER!!: Chelliephone

As a rule of thumb, Zeke did try not to react too overtly to the effects produced during the fitting process, but sometimes reflexes did take over. Still, he thought his little sideways flinch at the lights and booming was remarkably restrained. (Also, composed as he would like to appear, it was also important to not ended... you know... blasted into the wall of the shop.)

Blinking to clear the aftereffects of the lights from his retinas, Zeke brought the wand box back into focus just as the second wand was placed back inside of it. And then, as was his natural inclination, he smiled. "I think so too. Always good to be sure, though, hm?" And, still smiling, he set the second wand aside. "And now we know for sure, the first wand chose you."

Excellent news, no? And now, Zeke could tell him all about it.

"The wand you've matched with is twelve and a half inches of balanced apple, with a core of unicorn hair. Apple wands aren't made in great numbers, and you may be interested in hearing that many apple wand owners have a knack for learning magical tongues." Mermish, Gobbledegook, Troll, that kind of thing. Not a given, of course, but certainly a trend observed by many wandmakers. "Apple has a strong association with healing magic, dispelling and reversal magic, divination and communication spells., and water spells will be easy to master as well." Oh yes, plenty of strengths for the apple wand. "Unicorn hair makes for a consistent, reliable wand, very faithful to their owner, and well suited to charms, transfigurations, and healing spells. Very smooth magic it produces too, few fluctuations or blockages, if you will. This core is very much in tune with subtle and delicate magic. It's also difficult to turn towards the dark arts - and, as a matter of fact, apple is not suited to that area of magic either. Unicorn hair wands are a little prone to melancholy if mishandled, so be sure to be mindful of that." Not to make assumptions, of course, but Zeke suspected that this boy was unlikely to have many issues in that regard.

"The wand is priced at 11 galleons," he said now, moving towards his cash register so he could start ringing it up. As always, he gestured towards the price board too, and smiled once again. "And we have these other products and accessories available too."

_________

[12½ inch balanced apple with unicorn hair]

SPOILER!!: thestralyew19

As his customer took the wand, Zeke straightened and stood by, keeping an eye out for any unmistakeable signs of a match. And in no time at all... there it was! Quite a charming little effect there too, uh... literally and figuratively.

"Yes, I believe you're correct. Very much so," he said, giving a small nod and a big smile. "A sign of magic like this, plus your own perspective, tells us what we need to know." Yes, Zeke really was quite convinced himself.

And so he held out the wand box again, so that it might be returned in order for him to do all the necessary business at the cash register. "Now, this wand is 11 inches of solid pear, with a unicorn hair at the core." They were getting through a lot of unicorn hair wands this summer, but Zeke wasn't too surprised, it being such a dependable core. He could attest to that with his own wand. "Pear is a wand wood that does not easily produce harmful magics - curses, hexes, or what have you, or dark magic. To make up for this, however, charms, transfiguration magic, and protection spells seem to have a kind of boost. It's a wand that feels eager to please and be as helpful as it can be; it will work with you in your magical endeavours, and you should be able to master it fairly quickly for this reason." Other woods... well. Let's just say some required a firm hand up until the moment of being truly tamed. Not so with pear. "With the unicorn hair core, this is an extremely faithful, gentle wand. The magic you produce will be consistent and reliable. Unicorn is also well suited to charms, transfigurations, and healing spells too. It's really a very lovely combination, the wood and core complement each other very well."

And that was that! Unless there were any questions of course; Zeke was always willing to answer those, and to talk about wands at length. "The wand is priced at 9 galleons. We also have some other products you may be interested in, too," he added, gesturing towards the inventory listed on the price board.

_________

[11 inch solid pear with unicorn hair]

SPOILER!!: Kolyander

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kolyander

Had anything bad come from the small flames that had emerged from the tip of the wand, Bryony would have been all sorts of disappointed. Imagine being the one to harm someone or things in the wand shop?! That would have been a terrible, horrible feeling. Thankfully that wasn't the case at all. Everything was safe and this wand was going to be hers.

"Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The smallest Paton child squealed in pure delight bouncing in a circle as she clutched the wand to her chest. "Did you hear that? I've found MY wand!" Bryony smiled bright at Ary, Drake and Gilly. It seemed only Gilly needed to find hers now. When the box was held out towards her, she very carefully laid her new wand back inside of it.

Rocking back and forth on her feet, she listened very intently to every single word that the wandmaker man was telling her. Bright blue eyes widened nearly instantly when she heard what the wand was made of and how 'loyal' it was. There was even a giggle from her when he had said that it was almost obsessive, it sounded a lot like her! "Isn't hornbeam wood very strong? Does that mean my wand is strong too? An-and did you get the griffin claw that's inside of it?! How did you get it?!" Already she had many questions but she couldn't help it, she wanted to know everything about her wand. "I really really like that it's only meant for me and others will find it very difficult to use." Protection spells and shield charms were going to be some of her easiest to learn, this very noted all too quickly.

As for what else she wanted or needed.. she already knew but she had some questions about this as well. "Does the holster for bundle one come in dragon colors? Like Antipodean Opaleye.. if not then pink would be great too. And umm.. I'm not sure which type of holster would be best for me. I'm extremely active and I want to make sure that there isn't any chance that my wand could fall out of the holster or break if I accidentally fall or anything." Training took a LOT of work and being constantly on the go meant she needed to keep her want safe.

"Very strong," Zeke agreed. "Very sturdy, physically speaking. Regarding the power of the magic, I would say that depends on you, and what you ask of it, what with this being such an adaptable wand." Did that make sense? Zeke hoped so. Hornbeam was an interesting one; despite its absolute solidity, its rigidness and strength, it put him in mind of a material that moulded to the grip of whoever wielded it. Ideal, really. "Ah, but now we're getting into the trade itself. I can tell you that we use the shed claws of the griffin, but as to how we put it all together..." He smiled, and tapped the side of his nose. "Every wandmaker has their own little tricks."

That was to say, there were a few methods by which they tended to stick to, generally widely known in the community, but many little tricks were closely kept secrets.

Now then, bundle one, was it? Zeke set about collecting the oil and polish, before making for the holsters. "I believe we have some imitation Antipodean Opaleye, somewhere... yes," he scanned his wares, then pulled out a couple from the very back of the rack. "All these holsters are made so that the wand won't fall out or become easily damaged by knocks or falls, but I think wrist or ankle would be best for keeping it out of the way - less movement along the forearm and leg, too. I'd recommend a wrist holster, much more convenient for every day situations, especially as a student, and still keeps the wand safe and concealed." He held up the one in his right hand and waited for the young lady's decision.

Either way, the price would naturally remain the same. "That will come to 17 galleons for the wand, and bundle one."

SPOILER!!: AlwaysSnapesGirl

This was a girl who was clearly not only in command of her manners - always a delight - but one who knew her own mind - again, always a delight. Zeke had to give very little prompting or direction through the process, which meant he could simply enjoy the show, setting aside boxes when the first wand gave no reaction, and the second was deemed to be lacklustre.

He thought he sensed, as he sometimes did, a palpable change in the atmosphere, a shift in the girl's demeanour as she lifted the third wand. In fact, Zeke felt fairly confident that they had a match before he really knew why he thought it, by which time the young lady had produced a really lovely little flame. As a rule, he tended to get a little twitchy about fire in his shop (though it was inevitable, and he was very good at maintaining composure when it happened) but this... was different. It was really rather delightful.

"Yes, I think so," Zeke agreed, meeting the grin with a broad smile of his own. "In fact, I am absolutely certain of it." In part, because the girl herself also seemed to be.

He held the wand box out so that it might be placed back inside, in order for them to complete the transaction, but he gave the rundown of the wand's specifications, allowing her to take her time appreciating and making the most of this moment before doing so.

"This wand is eleven inches and two thirds of solid cedar, with a dragon heartstring core. Peruvian Vipertooth, to be exact." Sometimes Zeke wondered if it was for the best to name the breed, but many of his customers were curious, and Zeke was duty-bound to share all the details. "Cedar is generally attracted to perceptive individuals... you know, Gervaise Ollivander had a saying: you will never fool the cedar carrier. They can be truly passionate, even frightening adversaries, too, especially where defending the honour of others is concerned." Whether any of this would ring true for this particular customer, Zeke couldn't say for sure; sometimes it wasn't so obvious or straightforward. Personally, however, he thought it an admirable way to be. "This wand wood is well suited to fire spells and aids with confidence in its owner. The one who truly masters a cedar wand will be the kind of person who does not give up easily. Dragon heartstring wands cannot be beaten for raw power, and lend themselves to quick mastery of new spells. Very versatile, and they bond closely to their owners. You'll find powerful magic will naturally come much easier than subtle, delicate spellwork, which will simply take a little extra time and effort to perfect."

And there they had it, her new wand. Zeke offered another smile. "The wand by itself will be 10 galleons, and we also have some other products you might be interested in today." He gestured towards the price board, nearby.

_________

[11⅔ inch solid cedar with dragon heartstring [Peruvian Vipertooth]]

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