Garrick Ollivander

Garrick Ollivander
Biographical information
Born	25 September, pre 1908 Great Britain or Ireland
Blood status	Half-blood
Marital status	Married
Physical information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Eye colour	Silvery
Skin colour	White
Relationship information
Family members	Gervaise Ollivander (father) Mrs Ollivander (mother) Son Daughter † Gerbold Ollivander (paternal grandfather) Ollivander (ancestor) Geraint Ollivander (ancestor)
Magical characteristics
Boggart	Lord Voldemort
Wand	Hornbeam, 12¾", dragon heartstring
Patronus	Non-corporeal
Affiliation
Occupation	Wandmaker
House	Ravenclaw
Loyalty	Ollivander family Ollivanders Harry Potter Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Ravenclaw

"An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop."

— Harry Potter meets Ollivander

Garrick Ollivander (b. 25 September, pre 1908) was a British half-blood wizard who was the proprietor of Ollivanders in Diagon Alley during most of the 20th century. Ollivander was widely considered the best wandmaker in the world, and many wizards and witches bought their wands from him.

In 1996, Ollivander was captured and tortured by Lord Voldemort. He was rescued in 1998 by: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Dobby. He imparted important information regarding wandlore to Harry, it helped him in his understanding of the Deathly Hallows.

Biography

Family heritage

Ollivander's family have long been associated with the profession of wandcraft. The surname means 'he who owns the olive wand' which is of Mediterranean origin, suggesting that the family emigrated to Britain from elsewhere. Mr Ollivander believes that his ancestors arrived in Britain with the Romans and set up a stall and eventually a shop, to sell newer and improved wands to British wizards who had poorly constructed wands that were unreliable.

Early life

Garrick Ollivander was born to Gervaise Ollivander, a wizard, and his wife, a Muggle-born witch, on the 25 September, in or before the year 1907.

He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in his youth, where he was Sorted into Ravenclaw House.

Career as a wandmaker

"Renowned wandmaker Mr Ollivander owns the wand shop Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 BC in Diagon Alley. His shop is widely considered the best place to purchase a wand."

— Description

Ollivander holding one of the many wands inside his shop

Ollivander grew up in the family business, and showed precocious talent in wandmaking. Soon, he developed an ambition to improve upon the cores and wand woods he made and developed a determination to pursue the ideal wand.

Before Garrick Ollivander's proprietorship of Ollivanders, wizards used a wide variety of wand cores; the customer would often present their wandmaker with a magical substance to which they were attached, and he would turn it into their wand core. Mr Ollivander believed that doing so altered the wand's temperament, and he revolutionised the way wands were crafted by having cores of immensely powerful magical substances expertly enclosed in specially selected and complementary wandwoods, with the result being that the wand would be matched to an owner that the wand itself felt an affinity for.

Ollivander talking with a customer

While there was initially substantial resistance to this new way wands were made, it soon became clear that wands made by Ollivander were far superior to any others. His methods of locating wand woods and core substances, marrying them together, and matching them to ideal owners were all jealously guarded secrets that were coveted by rival wandmakers.

Sometime into his career, in the summer of 1938, Ollivander sold Tom Riddle his wand.

Shortly before the 1984–1985 school year, Ollivander sold a wand to a soon-to-be student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, just as he did his brother before him.

As with other wandmakers, Ollivander made it his business to study the mystifying Elder Wand in depth, such as its history and distinctive characteristics. Unlike Hermione Granger, he believed that the Elder Wand was not a myth or tale, and showed great enthusiasm with the powerful object despite the fact that it was dangerous and has had a bloody history. When held captive by Lord Voldemort, he was forced to relate all information he had known about the powerful wand. He also revealed that the last person rumoured to own the wand was Gregorovitch, a foreign wandmaker, though he did not believe the rumour and thought that Gregorovitch spread it to boost his business.

Harry Potter's wand

"Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter... After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

— Ollivander to Harry regarding his wand

Mr Ollivander presents Harry Potter with his first wand

Ollivander supplied Harry Potter with a wand, and as he did so, he told Harry a few facts about wands. He explained that a wand has a core, in Harry's case a phoenix feather. He told Harry that the body of the wand is made from a choice of different woods with different magical properties. Ollivander said he made a similar wand using another feather from the same phoenix, but using a different wood. Harry's wand is holly, which symbolises protection, rather than Voldemort's yew, which is symbolic of death. He also explained that the wand chooses the wizard, rather than the other way around. Immediately after Harry left the shop, Ollivander sent a letter to Albus Dumbledore informing him of the wand's sale.

1994-1995 Triwizard Tournament

"May I introduce Mr Ollivander? He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament."

— Wand weighing ceremony

Ollivander behind the desk in his wand shop

On 13 November, 1994 Ollivander presided over the Wand weighing ceremony during the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As a very recognised wandmaker, Ollivander was asked to inspect the wands of the champions in the 1994-1995 Triwizard Tournament before the competition started, to make sure they were all working properly. While he found no problems with any of the wands' performance, he expressed doubts of Mykew Gregorovitch's styling of Viktor Krum's wand and the use of Veela hair as a core in Fleur Delacour's wand.

Second Wizarding War

Attempted robbery of his shop

In 1996, Alexandra Walker attempted to rob Ollivanders. She could not, however, and she was arrested. This event made Daily Prophet headlines.

Kidnapped by Death Eaters

Arthur Weasley: "Shop's empty. No sign of a struggle. No one knows whether he left voluntarily or was kidnapped."

Ginny Weasley: "But what'll people do for wands?"

Remus Lupin: "They'll make do with other makers. But Ollivander was the best, and if the other side have got him it's not so good for us."

— News of the kidnappings of Ollivander and Florean Fortescue

Fenrir Greyback and other Death Eaters kidnap Ollivander from outside of his shop

In July 1996, Ollivander was kidnapped by Voldemort's Death Eaters, leaving behind an empty, locked up shop and no signs of a struggle. It is believed that one of the last wands he sold was to Neville Longbottom, as he disappeared the next day. Ollivander was captured by Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters and was held prisoner at Malfoy Manor, where he was forced to make a new wand for Peter Pettigrew. He was tortured by Lord Voldemort for information regarding the twin cores of Harry Potter's wand and his own. Ollivander told him that he merely needed to use a wand other than his own to face Harry Potter.

After using Lucius Malfoy's wand and seeing its destruction when faced with Harry Potter and his Phoenix wand, Voldemort rounded on Ollivander for an explanation of why Harry's wand acted as it had. Although he had no answer to give since no wandmaker had ever witnessed such an event, Ollivander was tortured again by Lord Voldemort and questioned about the most powerful wand in existence, the Elder Wand.

Skirmish at Malfoy Manor and escape

Ollivander and Luna are saved from Malfoy Manor by Dobby the House-Elf

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Dean Thomas and Griphook, were later captured and taken to Malfoy Manor, where they were reunited with Mr Ollivander and Luna Lovegood. While in the cellar Harry noted that Ollivander was not looking well, due to being repeatedly tortured for a long period of time. Ollivander and the others were subsequently rescued by Dobby the House-Elf in the Skirmish. Ollivander seemed to have bonded with Luna during their captivity together, and thanked her for being "an inexpressible comfort [to him] in that terrible place".

Stay at Shell Cottage

"The wandmaker was lying on the twin bed farthest from the window. He had been held in the cellar for more than a year, and tortured, Harry knew, on at least one occasion. He was emaciated, the bones of his face sticking out sharply against the yellowish skin. His great silver eyes seemed vast in their sunken sockets. The hands that lay upon the blanket could have belonged to a skeleton"

— Description of Ollivander's appearance after his mistreatment in Malfoy Manor

Ollivander at Shell Cottage after being rescued from Malfoy Manor explaining about the Elder Wand to Harry Potter

Ollivander was taken to Shell Cottage, where he recovered from months of imprisonment and torture. While at Shell Cottage he was interrogated by Harry Potter who wanted to know information about the Elder Wand that Voldemort was so obsessively searching for and to have a better understanding of the unique connection that existed between his wand and Voldemort's. He later departed to Muriel's house, where he remained in hiding for the rest of the war. He later crafted and sent a new wand to Luna Lovegood. Although Ollivander's fate after Voldemort's final defeat is unknown, it can be assumed he most likely returned to his shop and business once the Second Wizarding War ended.

Physical appearance

When first meeting him, Harry Potter described Garrick Ollivander as an old man with pale silvery eyes and white skin. However, after he was kidnapped by Voldemort's Death Eaters, Ollivander's appearance changed for the worse as a result of the torture and abuse he suffered at the hands of Voldemort. After he was rescued, he was described to be emaciated, with yellow skin, his facial bones sticking out, skeleton-like hands, and vast, sunken eyes.

Personality and traits

"Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

— Ollivander expressing his interest in what powerful wizards can do with wands

Ollivander and his many wands

Ollivander was an intelligent man, with a perfect memory when it came to his work; he remembered the details of every wand he ever sold. He seemed to become happier the more difficult the challenge to find exactly the right wand for a difficult customer was. He used a magical tape measure to help assess customers for their wand.

Ollivander had a professorial enthusiasm for wandlore and was immensely learned in it. A less savoury aspect of his personality was that his fascination with wandlore sometimes eclipsed his sense of right and wrong; he was so fascinated with what a powerful wizard can do when matched with the right wand that he became detached from the good or evil nature of their actions. A prime example of this would be Tom Riddle, who became Lord Voldemort. Even after the First Wizarding War, Ollivander remembered him as having done "great things" with his wand — "terrible, yes, but great". An even more extreme example was during the Second Wizarding War, when Ollivander, having just been rescued from a year of imprisonment and torture at Voldemort's hands, was briefly enthralled by the thought of what Voldemort might do when matched with the Elder Wand.

However, Ollivander still valued his own life and well-being, and divulged information to Voldemort whenever threatened with death and tortured by the Cruciatus Curse. The wandmaker feared the Dark Lord's wrath and begged for mercy when informed that his (Ollivander's) advice about using another wand was incorrect.

Magical abilities and skills

• Wandmaking/Wandlore: Garrick Ollivander, just as other Ollivander family members, was considered as the best British wand-maker, with an immense knowledge of wandlore. He was very knowledgeable of the different magical properties possessed by different wands, in particular relation to their woods and cores.
• Non-verbal magic: Ollivander had the ability to perform non-verbal spells, as no incantation was spoken by him when he conjured smoke rings in 1994. Given the high level of difficulty required in the casting of spells non-verbally, this shows he was a wizard of very impressive magical skills.
• Apparition: Like most accomplished adult wizards, he could Apparate, but failed in 1998 at Malfoy Manor due to enchantments placed on the cellar.
• Transfiguration: He was skilled with conjuration, a highly difficult and complex branch of transfiguration, conjuring flowers, birds, smoke rings, and wine in 1994.
• Charms: Ollivander was able to produce a non-corporeal Patronus Charm, a mark of superior magical ability and showing he was a very skilful and powerful wizard indeed, given the immense difficulty of performing such an advanced protective charm.
• Wand versatility: In 1994, Ollivander used Cedric's, Fleur's, Viktor's and Harry's wands, each with successful effect.
• Eidetic memory: Ollivander was able to recite the precise details of every wand he ever crafted or sold. This eidetic — or photographic — memory of these details borders on perfect recall, a very rare ability.
• Business: Ollivander also possessed excellent business skills, being highly able to successfully operate and manage his own wand shop for at least sixty years.

Possessions

Ollivander's wand

• Wand: Mr Ollivander's own wand was made of hornbeam wood with a dragon heartstring core.
• Wand shop: Mr Ollivander took over the family wandmaking business, and thus was the successful owner of this shop for at least sixty years.
• Magical tape measure: He owned a magical tape measure which he used to measure wands before selling them to his customers.
• Peacock: He kept a peacock as a pet.
• Flipendo spellbook: He owned this spellbook which contained information on and how to cast the Knockback Jinx, which he kept in his shop.

Relationships

Harry Potter

"I think it is clear that we can expect great things from you, Mr Potter."

— Ollivander to Harry during their first meeting

Harry Potter, a good friend

Like most of the wizarding world, Ollivander heard of Harry Potter and his defeat of Lord Voldemort in 1981. He first met Harry in 1991 and sold him his wand. The phoenix feather in Harry's and Riddle's wands came from the same phoenix, Fawkes, something that Ollivander considered "curious". However, Harry was unsure whether he liked Ollivander due to the wandmaker's fascination by what Voldemort did with his wand, despite the terrible things he did with it.

Ollivander's relationship with Harry Potter grew after the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor when Harry rescued him from imprisonment and during their subsequent stay at the Shell Cottage. Harry would go on to obtain vital information about the Elder Wand from Ollivander, which would later prove instrumental for bringing about the final defeat of Lord Voldemort.

Luna Lovegood

Luna Lovegood: "I'm going to miss you, Mr Ollivander."

Ollivander: "And I you, my dear. You were an inexpressible comfort to me in that terrible place."

— Luna says goodbye to Mr Ollivander

Luna Lovegood, a good friend

Ollivander also developed a close relationship with Luna Lovegood, for she was a comfort to him during their imprisonment in Malfoy Manor. Ollivander later repaid her kindness to him by creating a new wand for her.

Lord Voldemort

"He tortured me, you must understand that! The Cruciatus Curse, I — I had no choice but to tell him what I knew, what I guessed — "

— Ollivander regarding how Voldemort tortured him to procure information about the Elder Wand

Lord Voldemort, a feared enemy

Ollivander was very much afraid of Lord Voldemort, and referred to him as "You-Know-Who" like almost all other wizards. He was kidnapped by Death Eaters and tortured by Voldemort for information about Voldemort's wand's relationship with Harry's wand, which further developed his fear of the Dark Lord. However, despite his intense fear and hatred of Voldemort, Ollivander was nevertheless fascinated by what Voldemort did both with his phoenix wand and the Elder Wand.

Known wand sales

Owner	Wood	Length	Core	Notes
Mary Cattermole	Cherry	8¾"	Unicorn hair	Dolores Umbridge falsely accused Mary of stealing this wand, though she informed her she bought it at Ollivanders in Diagon Alley when she was eleven years old.
Cedric Diggory	Ash	12¼"	Unicorn hair	This wand was "pleasantly springy"; hair from particularly fine male unicorn (seventeen hands high), which nearly gored Mr Ollivander with its horn after he plucked its tail hair.
Lily Evans	Willow	10¼"	Unknown	This wand was "swishy" and "nice for Charm work".
Hermione Granger	Vine	10¾"	Dragon heartstring	This wand was confiscated when the trio was captured by Snatchers in 1998.
Rubeus Hagrid	Oak	16"	Unknown	This wand is "rather bendy"; snapped in half when Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts during his third year - the pieces are almost certainly hidden in Hagrid's pink umbrella.
Bellatrix Lestrange	Walnut	12¾"	Dragon heartstring	This wand is described as "unyielding"; passed into the possession of Hermione Granger after the Battle of Malfoy Manor in 1998.
Neville Longbottom second wand	Cherry	13"	Unicorn hair	May have been one of the last wands Mr Ollivander sold before he disappeared in 1996.
Draco Malfoy	Hawthorn	10"	Unicorn hair	"Reasonably springy"; this wand passed into the possession of Harry Potter after the Battle of Malfoy Manor in 1998 until Harry came into possession of the Elder Wand and mended his first wand.
Harry Potter	Holly	11"	Phoenix feather	Nice and supple; Costs 7 Galleons; The only known wand to cause Priori Incantatem (caused with Voldemort's Phoenix-Feather-wand); Can hurt but can not kill its Brother; broken in December 1997 while fleeing from Godric's Hollow; repaired with the Elder Wand in May 1998.
James Potter	Mahogany	11"	Unknown	This wand was "pliable" and "excellent for transfiguration".
Peter Pettigrew x2	Chestnut	9¼"	Dragon heartstring	This wand was "brittle"; owned by Pettigrew only since Ollivander had been kidnapped of 1996; passed into the possession of Ron Weasley after the skirmish in Malfoy Manor in 1998.
Tom Marvolo Riddle/Voldemort	Yew	13½"	Phoenix feather	This wand is "brother" to Harry Potter's wand - the core tail feathers are both from Fawkes.
Charlie Weasley/Ron Weasley	Ash	12"	Unicorn hair	Ron's brother Charlie's old wand; severely damaged in September 1992 after a run-in with the Whomping Willow, destroyed in the process of backfiring on Lockhart as he attempted to wipe Ron and Harry's memories (showing the great loyalty of Unicorn wands)
Ron Weasley	Willow	14"	Unicorn hair	Purchased with his father's winnings from a Daily Prophet draw.

Etymology

Garrick is an Old English name meaning "one who governs with a spear". Ollivander is of Mediterranean origin meaning "he who owns an olive wand".

See also

• Wand
• Wandlore
• Mykew Gregorovitch

Behind the scenes

Ollivander as a LEGO mini-figure

Ollivander in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

• Garrick Ollivander is played by the late John Hurt in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first part of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the second part of the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. He was originally set to appear in the the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire but the character's scenes were cut from the final film and have not been released.
• Ollivander is one of the only people before Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone who knew Voldemort's real name. He said in the first book he knows that Voldemort's wand caused Harry's scar. While this is not stated in any explicit way, the very fact that Voldemort has only ever had one wand (except for his use of the wand of Lucius Malfoy and the Elder Wand very late in life) would ensure that Ollivander would have sold him a wand at age 11, when he still used his former name. It is possible that he somehow deduced the secret sometime before July 1991, be it through mere deduction or that Dumbledore himself told him, since Dumbledore did say that Ollivander contacted him to tell him that Harry had bought the only other wand in existence crafted with one of Fawkes's feathers. He might simply have recognised the wand in the hands of Lord Voldemort.

• Ollivander's first name, Garrick, was revealed via his shop in Pottermore.
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ollivander has no knowledge of the term "Deathly Hallows", being only aware of the Elder Wand, but not of its status as one of these fabled objects. In the film adaptation, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, however, he is fully aware of the legend and even provides some information about it not provided by Xenophilius Lovegood. He denies the tale having any truth, however, until Harry forces him to admit that he told Voldemort about the Elder Wand.
• Originally published on Pottermore and later transferred to Wizarding World, there is a feature called "5 things we learned from wise Mr Ollivander" that highlights facts about wandlore.

Appearances

Death Eaters Apparating across Charing Cross Road and into Diagon Alley, smashing the windows of his shop and kidnapping him

Garrick Ollivander in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game) (PS1, PS2, and GBC versions only)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (Cut from final edit)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game) (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game) (Voice only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Harry Potter for Kinect
• LEGO Harry Potter
• Pottermore (First identified as Garrick Ollivander)
• Wizarding World
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) (mentioned on wand permit application)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery