Harry Potter Wand

Yes, in fact, it is. Harry had to go to Diagon Alley and buy his wand from Mr. Ollivander, but what he didn't know (and it's not his fault - nobody told him) is that the most powerful wands are those you make yourself.

After all, who knows better than you just what woods, signs, symbols and decorations are the most meaningful? Mr. Ollivander? I don't think so! Eventually even Harry Potter will have to make his own wand. Here is how to make your own Harry Potter wand.

Find Your Wood

The best wands are wooden wands - always have been, always will be. Wood is a natural product, and is already full of the magical energies of the earth from whence it sprang.

To find a suitable piece of wood for your Harry Potter wand, you must first be warned - cutting a tree for wand-material is a last resort. While you want 'fresh' wood - you certainly don't want a stick that's been lying on the ground for weeks, slowly rotting - you also don't want to harm the tree that your wandwood comes from. That's bad luck right off the bat.

Go outside after a heavy rainstorm, or a windy day, and see what nature has liberated.

Wood That's Right

You're looking for a stick freshly shed from the tree that is about as long as your forearm, elbow to fingertips. Some people have multiple wands, a longer one for outdoor use and a shorter one for confined spaces indoors, but forearm-length is average. You can always cut down a larger piece, if necessary.

Once you've located your stick (the protowand), strip any bark and twigs off of it with a paring knife. This will dull the knife, so you might want to get a knife specifically for wand work; don't use someone else's knife, dull it and then put it back into the drawer!

Different types of wood have subtly different metaphysical properties (that is, they're better for some types of magic than others), but that's getting kind of advanced. All wood will work, so whatever fresh wood you find, that seems to suit your hand, is good.

Now let your stick age for a few weeks to completely dry out, so that it's easier to work with and won't warp after you've finished it.

Shape Your Wand

Some people want their Harry Potter wand to taper to a point, some don't - it's up to you. If you like the tapering shape, whittle it down on one end with a paring knife until it is roughly the shape you want.

Now you must smooth your wand with sandpaper. Start with a coarse grade and after a while, switch to progressively finer grades, until your stick (now turning into a wand!) is smooth as silk.

Decorate Your Wand

Many people prefer the unadorned, plain smooth wooden wand, but others like to put symbols, gems or other decorations on it.

If you want symbols, or your name, on your wand, very carefully carve out the letters or symbols. This can be tricky if your wand is thin - too much carving and your wand is weakened and could easily snap in two. Once you have appropriate symbology on your wand, you might want to 'color in' the letters with a felt tip marker, so that they stand out.

If you want a crystal tip on your wand, you can whittle out a depression in the tip, and insert a small pointed piece of quartz or other mineral. Use hot glue to hold it in place, or special wire used in jewelry-making. You may want to insert small semi-precious stones such as onyx or amethyst is down the length of the wand.

Some people like to cover the 'handle' end of the wand by wrapping round after round of leather strips, cord or yarn around it; this is a personal preference, but covering the handle keeps the wood from coming into contact with the skin of your hand, and you might find it difficult to direct magical energies without the direct contact.

Finishing Your Harry Potter Wand

Be as creative as you want to be on the final look and feel of your Harry Potter wand. Once you think you are finished with the decoration and the smoothing, oil your wand with a mineral oil. Don't use a vegetable oil like olive or corn oil - it will polish up the wood just fine, but after a while it will go bad and may start to stink. Mineral oil will soak into the wood and keep it pliable and shiny.

If your wand ever gets dull or dusty looking, reapply a coat of oil to the wood and polish it with a soft cloth and it will soon be healthy and shiny again.

And there you have it, a wand as fine as anything Harry Potter could procure in Diagon Alley, and it's all yours.