Why Severus Snape?

[Mal]

I've been wondering what materials Snape's wand would be, and I don't know if it's represented anywhere. But if you take this list of Celtic trees on JKR's website:

[LadyOfThePensieve]

Or this one:

*Jan 01 to Jan 11 - Fir Tree -(the Mysterious)

FIR TREE - extraordinary taste, dignity, sophisticated,loves anything beautiful, moody, stubborn, tends to egoism but cares for those close to them, rather modest, very ambitious, talented, industrious, uncontented lover, many friends, many foes, very reliable

Foubnd here: http://www.geocities.com/dancingbfly/ctrees.htm

What tree did you fall from?

This is really cool and somewhat accurate it's also in line with Celtic astrology.

[mary]

Okay - I did this before (on livejournal last month), but here is my wand description. This is among the original creative work my sister and I did for our Harry Potter parties at the library; I wrote these at least four or five years ago, before I even knew when Professor Snape's birthday was and before we knew Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands fit into the Celtic wands calendar.

Here it is:
Birch:
This wood symbolizes flexibilty, grace, and subtlety. The young owner of this wand is likely to be intelligent and to learn quickly. He or she may also seem timid and unsure, and may be inclined to give up rather than struggling with difficult problems; this young person must work on following through. In spite of their apparent shyness, many owners of birch wands are skilled in sports requiring speed, grace and balance, such as dance, gymnastics and quidditch. Their intelligence and imagination will allow young witches and wizards chosen by birch to succeed in many fields if they apply themselves.
Birch (or pine) with dragon heartstring: This young witch or wizard is likely to be skilled in potions, especially those derived from plants.
Birch with unicorn hair: This youngster may be unusually talented in divination.
Birch with phoenix feather: Often, this youngster exhibits great natural talent for herbology, sometimes combined with an ability for potions or healing spells.

Wand descriptions by Mary Johnson

[Sionna Raven]

JKR said on her website that she only checked the Celtic tree chart (as published on her site) for the trios wands. Recently she added that Draco's wand, hawthorn, per coincidence also matches his birthday, the same coincidence with Snape's is one too many imo.
For this reason I tend to believe that Snape's wand wood is based on general folklore, fairytales and myth, which gives us: rowan = defense against evil magic or witchcraft; ash = powerful wand wood from Norse mythology or blackthorn = the traditional English wood for magician staffs and wands.
I favour rowan or blackthorn. The rowan tree is quite similar to Snape, thin, bendy, easily overlooked in the forest among all the large trunks of oaks and beeches. The berries are bitter and said to be poisonous, but they are not. They are quite wholesome in fact. Birds of all sizes feed on the berries, because they dry on the tree and are still available late in winter. A full grown rowan is an impressive tree, but they rarely get that old. Like birches rowans grow almost everywhere, simply pop up where a bit of earth and sunlight can be found. The birch is a definitely female tree, the rowan though most fruit-bearing trees are female is often considered to be male. I can't help it, but underestimated, misjudged as poisonous, bitter and seen as a large weed by most people, while having healing powers, fits Snape. In some regions rowan branches are hung over doors or fireplaces to fend off witches, Defense against the Dark Arts.
Blackthorn is the wand wood in folklore and we still haven't seen a blackthorn wand in Potterverse. Muggles tend to feel uneasy about blackthorn wands, thinking of Dark Wizards, but it's neutral, can be used for White and Black Magic and is extremely powerful for defense.

I don't really understand the properties of wandcores. Is there a reference? I mentioned phoenix feather before in connection with the mad idea that Voldemort got a new wand to avoid a second Priori Incantatem and ends up with the brother of Snape's wand. Imagine the irony and it should provide Snape with the best alibi, Dumbledore's ghost emerging from his wand, protecting him against Voldemort. That's something even Harry should understand and accept! I'd love to see that happen, but don't dare to hope.

Sionna
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You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything!
Avatar by Ms_S_Snape

[IUSnape]

[mary]

Hi - I did reply privately, but, basically, I'm not sure where you'd find a description for elder wood wands. Rowling herself has a link to celtic tree lore on her website; I think it's in miscellaneous or 'other' information. Let me know if you can't find it, and I'll post the exact link here.

As for my wand descriptions - well, that's just me, based on what I know about some of our common New England trees and their growth. It doesn't mean anything at all. I was just pleased and surprised that my 'birch' description came so close to the 'official' ones.

The woods my sister and I described are birch (or pine, or cherry - these three are similar in appearance and birch and pine often grow in similar places - plus they are soft woods.) Oak, Maple, Hickory or other nut, Willow, and Holly.

[IUSnape]

Thanks, Mary. I did check Jo's site, but it didn't say anything about elder wands, pretty much just specifics for certain characters.

I enjoyed the wand description you'd posted--very thorough.
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"... he was smiling in a way that told Harry he and Ron were in very deep trouble."

[Lone_Samurai]

I was told it's black pine from the east but that could be wrong. I think it's made birch!

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Byakuya.1000 cherry blossoms can't compare...
...To you.
[img]http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/8052292/14713926[/img]

[inverness]

I would imagine ebony (with a unicorn-hair core)

[Lone_Samurai]

I would have thought dragon heart string core!
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Byakuya.1000 cherry blossoms can't compare...
...To you.
[img]http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/8052292/14713926[/img]