Hello HPA! Last night, Beauxbatons found ourselves in the middle of an unexpected adventure. A hunt dropped right in the dead of night! Many of us were fast asleep, some were still awake and one of us even woke up seconds before the hunt was posted. Psychic or what?

Still half asleep or very tired, we stumbled through, we dove in chaotic and a little confused, but determined. We managed to find a few of the prompts and requirements, claimed one, and then – surprise! – realized we actually needed to claim two. Cue the chaos! It was messy, it was hilarious, and honestly, so much fun.

And now, here’s the result of all our effort: this project we’ve created. Enjoy!

𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚆𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚁𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢

Everyone talks about how the wand's core can have an effect on the caster. Well the wood has just as much affect as the core. Ollivander often said just as only a few can cast magic. Only certain woods can be used for wands. Many are surprised to find that wand woods are somewhat sentient. In that they choose the wizard and not the other way around. We see this when Harry goes to get his wand. His magic is chaotic until it connects with the Holly wand.

Woods also seem to respond to their 's magical core. If the tends to lean more towards being a dark wizard their wand may not remain loyal to them. Certain woods have proven to not mesh well with those who are dark wizards. Then on the other side of the scale some woods remain loyal and refuse to bond with another wizard or witch if ed down.

Now woods can be broken down further into different categories. These categories are as follows Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Exotic. They are categorized this way because contrary to popular belief some woods are not as easy to obtain as opposed to other words. Wands like Cherry and Kaya are typically only found and used in Japan. Further down I will explain the categories and the woods specific to those categories!

We’ll start with the common woods. These woods are ones that are the most common in wandmaking and are in high supply despite their unusual qualities. The common woods are as follows: Alder, Sycamore, Laurel, Hazel, Vine, Beech, Maple, Acacia, Oak, Birch, Walnut, Cedar, Chestnut, Cypress, Dogwood, Ebony, Fir, Hornbeam, Larch, Mahogany, Pear, Pine, Poplar, Rowan, and Spruce.

Next up is the Uncommon woods. While these wands can still be found in high supply they are not as highly used as common woods. Uncommon woods are as follows: Apple, Ash, Aspen, Blue Spruce, Blackthorn, Black Walnut, English Oak, Hawthorn, Hemlock, Ivy, Linden, Madrona, Plum, Red Oak, Redwood, Reed, Rosewood, Sequoia, White Pine, and Willow.

The third category is the Rare woods. These woods are either only found in a specific location or their supply is so low many cannot be made. The woods are as follows: Elder, Black Ironwood, Cherry, Eucalyptus, Gringko, Holly, Kaya, Silver Lime, and Yew.

The final category is Exotic woods. These woods are only found in specific locations and as such are not in high demand. They are as follows: Zebrawood, Purple Heart, African Ebony, Bloodwood, Pink Ivory, Olive, Tulipwood, and Lacewood.

Now that I’ve introduced you to wand woods and categorized them. I hope you’ll feel more comfortable when it’s time to find your own wand. as Ollivander always says “The wand chooses the wizard.”

𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚆𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝙲𝚎𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚌 𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜

J.K. Rowling has openly discussed her process for selecting wand woods in Harry Potter, often drawing from Celtic tree lore and, in some cases, the Celtic tree calendar. This system, similar to astrology, assigns symbolic meanings to different trees and links them to specific times of the year. While Rowling did not strictly adhere to this system for every character, she intentionally aligned certain wands, such as those of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, with their corresponding Celtic tree signs.

The origins of Rowling’s wand wood choices are detailed here.

Wand Woods and Their Celtic Tree Lore Associations

The Celtic tree calendar assigns symbolic meaning to each tree, reflecting the personality and fate of those born under them. Rowling incorporated this system into several wand wood choices:

Holly: A protective tree linked to overcoming darkness, anger, and impulsiveness. It is said to aid in spiritual and moral battles – perfect for Harry’s role as the “Chosen One.”

Vine: Symbolizing persistence, intelligence, and deep thinking, vine trees are associated with seekers of wisdom.

Ash: A tree of loyalty, strength, and healing. Ash is also seen as a bridge between worlds.

Oak: A tree of protection, wisdom, and deep intuition. Oak is often linked to those who act as guardians.

Hawthorn: A tree of duality, representing both healing and destruction.

Willow: A tree of intuition, healing, and feminine wisdom.

Yew: A tree deeply connected to life, deat and mystical power.

J.K. Rowling’s Choices for Wand Woods

Harry Potter – Holly

Rowling selected holly for Harry’s wand because of its strong folklore associations with protection against evil. Later, she realized that holly also matched his birth period (July 8 – August 4) in the Celtic tree calendar – a coincidence that only reinforced her choice. Traditionally, holly symbolizes resilience, the ability to channel strong emotions, and the power to overcome great challenges. These traits perfectly align with Harry’s journey as the “Chosen One” and his ongoing battle against Voldemort.

Hermione Granger – Vine

Once Rowling noticed the holly-Celtic tree calendar connection for Harry, she continued the pattern, asg vine wood to Hermione’s wand. In the Celtic tree system, vine corresponds to those born between September 2 and September 29, aligning precisely with Hermione’s birthday. The vine tree represents intelligence, intuition, determination, and a deep thirst for knowledge – qualities that define Hermione’s character and her relentless pursuit of truth.

Ron Weasley – Ash

Following the same approach, Rowling chose ash wood for Ron’s wand, which matches his Celtic tree calendar period (February 18 – March 17). Ash trees are associated with courage, loyalty and inner strength, traits that embody Ron’s steadfast of Harry throughout their adventures. Additionally, in folklore, ash trees are believed to offer protection and healing, reinforcing Ron’s role as Harry’s most reliable and emotionally grounding friend.

Rubeus Hagrid – Oak

Unlike Harry, Ron and Hermione, Hagrid’s wand wood was not selected based on the Celtic tree calendar. Instead, Rowling deliberately chose oak due to its deep symbolic ties to strength, wisdom and protection in British folklore. Although the Celtic calendar would have assigned elder wood to Hagrid’s birth period, Rowling believed oak was a better fit for his character. Oak trees are linked to nature, intuition and guardianship, mirroring Hagrid’s nurturing role and his unwavering loyalty to Harry.

Other Wands That May Have Celtic Tree Calendar Connections

While Rowling has only confirmed the Celtic tree calendar’s direct influence on Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s wands, several other wand woods align with this system. Whether these connections were intentional or coincidental remains unclear, but they add an extra layer of depth to the lore.

Draco Malfoy

Wand Wood: Hawthorn

Symbolism: Hawthorn is a tree of contradictions associated with both healing and destruction. It represents inner conflict and duality, which perfectly reflects Draco’s struggle between loyalty to Voldemort and his own moral dilemmas.

Lily Potter

Wand Wood: Willow

Symbolism: Willow is connected to intuition, healing, and adaptability. These qualities align with Lily’s deep magical abilities, her affinity for potions and most importantly, her selfless sacrifice to protect Harry. In mythology, willow is often linked to feminine wisdom and emotional resilience.

Lord Voldemort (Tom Riddle)

Wand Wood: Yew

Symbolism: Yew is strongly associated with both death and rebirth, making it an eerily fitting wand wood for Voldemort. Historically, yew trees were planted in graveyards and believed to hold mystical power, mirroring Voldemort’s obsession with immortality and his ruthless quest to escape death.

These associations suggest that even if Rowling did not deliberately follow the Celtic tree calendar for every character, many of the chosen wand woods naturally align with the themes and destinies of their owners.

Conclusion

J.K. Rowling’s wand wood selections in Harry Potter go beyond simple aesthetics – each choice is carefully rooted in symbolism, folklore, and, in some cases, the Celtic tree calendar. While not every wand adheres strictly to this system, Rowling ensured that key characters like Harry, Ron, and Hermione had wands that resonated with their Celtic tree signs, reinforcing their personalities and destinies.

Interestingly, even other characters, such as Draco Malfoy, Lily Potter, and Voldemort also have wand woods that naturally align with the Celtic tree calendar, adding further depth to their characterization.

This attention to detail highlights Rowling’s deep world-building, showing how her use of historical and mythological traditions enhances the Harry Potter series in meaningful ways.

By: Prelude

Time taken: 15

Apps/software used: Pinterest, PicsArt, and Capcup.

Process: I found the images on Pinterest. I made a moodboard using Picsart then I added superposition on CapCut and deleted the background

By: Nico/Juniper

Time taken: 10 Minutes

Apps/software used: Pinterest/Wiki, PicsArt, and Polar

PSD used: Frosted Affection

Process: the images gathered of the characters vary. I found Harry’s on Pinterest while getting Renka and Cassandra’s from their wikis as they are game characters within the Wizarding world franchise namely from the game Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. I also got the holly aesthetic from Pinterest as well! It was quite easy to find!

By: Prelude

Time taken: 10 Minutes

Apps/software used: Pinterest, PicsArt, and CapCut

PSD used: Frosted Affection

Process: I gathered image on Pinterest, I did the moodboard on picsart and then I added the superposition on CapCut

By: LeiLei

Time taken: 15 minutes

Apps/software used: PicsArt, and Photopea

PSD used: Paradox by Strawbbearie

Process: I made and edit using stickers and a background from PicsArt. I also added an HD effect. I then went to Photopea and added a PSD!

By: LeiLei

Time taken: 15 minutes

Apps/software used: Pinterest, PicsArt, and Photopea

PSD used: House Of Cards by Yejichuu

Process: I gathered the pictures from Pinterest. I then made a moodboard adding stickers and an HD effect from PicsArt. I finished it off by adding a PSD on Photopea!

𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚜

𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚐𝚎𝚛: chloe

𝙲𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙳𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚛: nana

𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜: leilea

𝙴𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚜: preludi

𝚂𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚜

🪄 🪄 🪄

And that is all from Beauxbatons for now! We have had such a fun time getting to know everyone and completing these blogs for you all! We all hope you have enjoyed reading them!

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