Ollivander let out a long, slow breath. "Hawthorn, phoenix feather, thirteen inches... You can tell, just from the wand itself, how much he must have been suffering at the time."
"Oh, and this—this is a secret among wandmakers…" Ollivander glanced at Wyzett, his eyes sharp but trusting. "I trust you won't let this slip?"
"Of course not!" Wyzett replied without hesitation. "For Professor Snape's sake, and out of respect for your trust, I'd never reveal it to anyone."
"Good. Now, back to wandmaking!" Ollivander smiled, the tension easing from his face. "What else did you notice?"
"I think the timing of inserting the core matters a great deal…" Wyzett continued thoughtfully. "Just like those fourteen chimes we heard earlier."
"Two o'clock—the hottest part of the day. It's perfect for a material like dragon heartstring. So, I suppose, each core calls for its own special timing."
"For example, if you're using unicorn tail hair, I'd guess you'd want to insert it on a night when the moon is full and bright."
"Remarkable!" Ollivander clapped, his eyes gleaming with admiration. "You're absolutely right! The timing of the core's insertion is critical."
"Different types of cores require different times—night or day, even down to the precise hour. It's an entire science unto itself!"
He gestured with a sweep of his hand, as if conjuring invisible tides. "Magic is everywhere, but it ebbs and flows with time—like the tides of the sea."
"It's not just the strength of magic that changes. Its very nature, its properties, shift subtly with the hour. Those differences, though minute, can still influence everything around us."
"Magical properties?" Wyzett mused, connecting the dots. "Like how moonflower nectar must be gathered at night, to capture the magic of the darkness. Or how moonstone must be ground on a clear, full-moon night, to replenish what's lost during the process… Is that right, Mr. Ollivander?"
"To replenish what's lost—exactly!" Ollivander nodded enthusiastically. "That's the heart of it. The reason we're so particular about timing is to restore what the core loses during fusion."
"When magical wood and core are joined, the core inevitably loses some of its magical properties. That's when the wandmaker must step in—by knowing the core intimately, and choosing the perfect moment, we can replenish what's lost."
To craft a truly exceptional wand takes more than just skill—it demands a lifetime of knowledge and experience. That's the legacy of the Ollivander family, and the reason this golden, purpose-built workshop exists at all.
Ollivander placed the finished wand in its box, humming a cheerful tune. He was genuinely pleased with Wyzett's performance—not just his familiarity with wand materials, but his keen eye for detail.
And, truth be told, Wyzett's knowledge of herbs had surprised him as well.
After sharing his insights, Wyzett raised a new question. "Mr. Ollivander, there's something I still don't understand about that final step."
"When the potions entered the groove, I saw countless magical circuits appear, each one attaching itself to the wand…"
"It felt familiar somehow… Is that a form of ritual magic? And the way you tapped the table at the end—was that also part of the ritual?"
"Ritual magic?" Ollivander gripped the wand box tightly, his pale silver eyes wide with disbelief. "You've studied that too?"
"I wouldn't call it study," Wyzett admitted, shaking his head. "Back in Sweden, I visited a number of ancient wizarding ruins and saw plenty of murals. I also read a lot of interpretations of those murals."
"Those interpretations inspired me. Using what I had on hand, I tried my luck with a few ritual spells—and managed to succeed with one or two."
"Take the Water-Making Spell, for example. I started by reconstructing it as a ritual, using the murals as a guide. Then, step by step, I simplified the ritual until I could finally cast it with my wand…"
As Wyzett spoke, he organized his thoughts, brow furrowing in concentration.
"Most mural interpretations focus on the evolution of magic. But after watching you make a wand, I started to connect the two… and a question came to mind."
"Is the wand itself a kind of ritual magic? Because if you add up all the steps in wandmaking, it feels like you're performing a grand ritual."
"But that brings up a new problem… Wizards can use their wands to cast all sorts of spells. How does that work?"
"Is it some kind of universal ritual? Like a general counter-spell—a foundational ritual that encompasses all magic?"
As Wyzett spoke, lost in his own reasoning, Ollivander's heart raced with excitement. He never imagined that simply witnessing half a wandmaking process could spark so many revelations.
What mattered most was that Wyzett was thinking in the right direction.
Wyzett shook himself from his reverie and looked apologetically at Ollivander. "Sorry, Mr. Ollivander. Sometimes I just get carried away…"
"I only started learning about ritual magic recently, so I tend to make connections. It's all just speculation—I have no proof."
"Ravenclaw! Praise Ravenclaw!" Ollivander waved a hand dismissively, clearly delighted. "Your analysis was spot on, for the most part."
"From your perspective, the whole process of wandmaking can be seen as a ritual. But here's the secret: this ritual deliberately abandons its final result."
"Deliberately abandons the result?" Wyzett echoed, frowning in confusion.
Seeing Wyzett's puzzled look, Ollivander smiled, pleased to have something left to teach. "A ritual without a result is one that never ends. It must continue, endlessly…"
He drew his wand and traced a sparkling circle in the air.
"Endless cycles, looping again and again. That's what allows a wizard to keep casting spells, one after another. That's why wand materials matter so much."
"We have to choose the right materials, so they can serve as the 'medium' for this never-ending ritual—a medium that lets wizards channel their magic, again and again!"
"The very first wizard who designed wands was a genius," Wyzett breathed, awestruck. "To create a tool that cycles infinitely…"
"The invention of the wand meant wizards no longer needed to perform a full ritual to unleash their gifts. It's… honestly, there are no words for how brilliant that is!"
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