There are few more defining scenarios for a young witch or wizard in the Harry Potter universe than collecting their first wand. Whether it be at Ollivander's or one of the other wand makers in mainland Europe or America, the moment the wand chooses the wizard often dictates the future of their magical journey. Though the material from which the wand is made is important, it is the core that defines its mystical properties and imbues it with the ability to cast spells.

Though these cores can be made from several materials (there are at least 20 listed in the broader lore of Harry Potter), they must be sourced from a magical creature or object. From Phoenix Feather to Unicorn Hair, some cores stand out from their immediate peers, while others seem particularly effective at certain kinds of magic.

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Phoenix Feather Core Wands Are Difficult to Master

Fawkes the Phoenix sits on his perch while Dumbledore talks

On the face of it, Phoenix feather cores seem capable of the greatest range of magic and the most unusual feats. The same phoenix famously provided the core for both Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort's wands, and they are known for their independence of thought -- a trait that many wizards and witches find unpredictable and challenging to manage. It is also the pickiest of all the cores, often going through many potential partners before deciding on one.

Dragon Heartstring Are Capable of Great Feats of Magic

The Dragon Heartstring core is the one most often seen in the Harry Potter books. It provides the basis of the wands used by Hermione Granger, Minerva McGonagall and Lucius Malfoy, among many others. Capable of casting even the most powerful spells, Heartstring cores bond very strongly to their owners but are easily persuaded to change allegiances when the time is right. It was also the type of core most willing and able to perform acts of dark magic during times of struggle.

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Unicorn Hair Wands Are Often Surprisingly Lacking

Harry looks at the dead unicorn in Philosopher's Stone

Perhaps unexpectedly, considering their source, Unicorn Hair wands are essentially the polar opposite of Dragon Heartstring. Though they are not particularly capable of performing more powerful magic, they are famously reliable and relatively pure, proving difficult to turn to the dark arts. Found in the wands of both Remus Lupin and Quirinus Quirrell, they are the most likely to "wilt" or lose the ability to cast magic altogether, as they lack the potency, to begin with.

Thestral Tail Hair Cores Can Only Be Mastered by a Select Few

Luna Lovegood pets a Thestral in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Thestral Tail Hair cores are relatively unusual in the world of Harry Potter and are often considered a hazardous material to create wands out of. Most notably found in the Elder Wand, wielded by Antioch Peverell, it is a powerful but notoriously tricky wand structure to master. Only witches or wizards who have accepted the concept of death were able to do so, reflecting the fact that Thestrals can only be seen by those who have witnessed death first-hand.

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Basilisk Horn Has Only Been Used Once That We Know Of

The Basilisk emerges from the Chamber of Secrets

Basilisk Horn cores are unique in Harry Potter because they have only been used once in recorded history. Acting as the core of the wand of Salazar Slytherin, its properties remain relatively unknown. In the case of Slytherin's wand, it had the unusual ability to go to sleep when instructed. The wand was passed down to Slytherin's descendants before ending up in the hands of his relatives, the Gaunt family, in the 1600s. After it was stolen from them, it ended up at Ilvermorny School in America around the time of its founding. It subsequently welted and was buried in the grounds of the school, where it formed into a Snakewood tree -- the material from which it was originally made.

Thunderbird Feather Cores Can Make Their Wands Sentient

Newt Scamander pets a Thunderbird

Made by American wand maker Shikoba Wolf, Thunderbird Feather cores were inordinately powerful. Though once again difficult to master, they were remarkably sentient, often known to cast curses preemptively against supernatural dangers and the enemies of their users. Additionally, they proved particularly effective in the casting of transfiguration-based magic. Though information on the uses of wands with this core is limited, it was known that Holly Blackbird, who appeared in the game Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, used this type of wand and passed it down as a valuable family heirloom.