# In our non-magical world, which items sound most magical? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 6, 2017, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884 "2017-11-06T14:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/1 "2017-11-06T14:00:01Z")
I’m thinking of making someone (who is a massive harry Potter nerd) a custom wand for a gift - I sort of want to make it ‘authentic’ in the sense that it will be made from a specific named timber (I actually have some Elder in stock, but may use Hazel or something else) - and I want it to contain something within the handle that _sounds_ like a magical object. Best I can come up with so far is ‘Mermaid’s Purse String’ - which would be one of the thread-like structures from a [Mermaid’s Purse](https://www.glaucus.org.uk/Mermaid.htm) (Shark/Ray egg case) So… what other things are there in our non-magical world that sound magical enough to be included within a wand? (they sort of have to be small enough to use that way too) ---
**Author:** ![Grave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Grave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grave)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/2 "2017-11-06T15:31:00Z")
A short treatise for the[black locust](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinia_pseudoacacia) Invasive Loved Annoying Desired Flowerery Destructive Ancient Pioneer …a wand, made from an elder plant, full of portent and power ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/3 "2017-11-06T15:34:39Z")
Eye of Newt? For extra weird points you can try to find a mini of Gingrich or Rebecca Jorden and just incorporate their eye. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/4 "2017-11-06T16:33:59Z")
[Bismuth crystals](https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&biw=1366&bih=637&tbm=shop&ei=S44AWrXKCZDMkgWlv6aADQ&q=bismuth+crystal&oq=bismuth+crystal&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l9.12841.15112.0.15230.8.8.0.0.0.0.77.536.8.8.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.8.535....0.x2Z-pHrO8Fw) are pretty cool and magical looking. The old Alchemical name was _tectum argenti_ which sounds half-way to a Harry Potter type spell already! ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/5 "2017-11-06T16:44:14Z")
If you’re just going to make a core, instead having something visual I mean, there’s Medusa’s Head, Baby’s Breath, Baby’s Tears, Dragon plant and Ghost peppers. Or step outside of canon and have a multi-core wand and include bits of several different things. [del]Voldemort[/del] He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named pushed the boundaries of magic further than any wizard before him. He did Great Things, terrible things, but Great. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/6 "2017-11-06T16:46:25Z")
Fulminate of Mercury; an explosive! A little on the tip of the wand and when the spell is cast–BOOM! If you don’t blow yourself up, first. ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/7 "2017-11-06T19:07:59Z")
The “zonular fibers of Zinn” hold the lens in place within the eye. > **[Zonule of Zinn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zonule_of_Zinn)** > > The zonule of Zinn (/ˈtsɪn/) (Zinn's membrane, ciliary zonule) (after Johann Gottfried Zinn) is a ring of fibrous strands forming a zonule (little band) that connects the ciliary body with the crystalline lens of the eye. These fibers are sometimes collectively referred to as the suspensory ligaments of the lens, as they act like suspensory ligaments. > The non-pigmented ciliary epithelial cells of the eye synthesize portions of the zonules. > The zonule of Zinn is split into two layers: a thin lay... Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you wanted to make a Dr. Suess wand! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/8 "2017-11-06T19:21:21Z")
How about a [devil’s finger](https://www.google.de/search?q=devils+finger&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjOocXC1arXAhWNCOwKHSagCBIQ_AUICigB&biw=1536&bih=734)? They have the added bonus of looking like something straight out of Lovecraft… You could also hope to get lucky and find some [star jelly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_jelly). Or cast something from a mix of resin and micrometeorites (I think it was you who had the micrometeorite hunting instructions on his website, right?). I mean, a core made from literal fallen stars? Or maybe get some moon dust… ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/9 "2017-11-06T19:27:25Z")
Editing window expired, but you could also get a [fulgurite](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgurite)—frozen lightning! ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/10 "2017-11-06T19:43:43Z")
Last one (promise), but [here’s](http://mentalfloss.com/article/71159/70-totally-amazing-common-names-fungi) a page of 70 weird mushroom names. How about funeral bell? Witches’ butter? Tiger’s eye (or you could also go for the gemstone with the same name)? Vampire’s bane? Or, for the more Hufflepuff-oriented, how about the snaketongue truffleclub? ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_blistering_barnacle/32/3386_2.png) [@Blue\_Blistering\_Barnacle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Blistering_Barnacle)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/11 "2017-11-06T20:22:05Z")
How about whiskey or some other spirit? You could call it “hair of dog”. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/12 "2017-11-06T20:39:49Z")
Well, the cores of the wands in the books are all from a magical creature, not necessarily a magical thing. Dragon’s heartstrings, unicorn tail and phoenix feather. To be a bit more canon, your best bet would be the hair of some kind of mythical creature. Gryffon’s Mane is the first thing that pops into my head. If you want to get REAL awesome/technical/canon, you could create the want with some kind of cut in the wood, make whatever is inside of the wood (or just paint it) black, and have it be from Thestral bone. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/13 "2017-11-06T20:40:23Z")
[Basilisk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_basilisk) scales? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/14 "2017-11-06T20:46:34Z")
Several species of the genus [Proboscidea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proboscidea_(plant)) are nicknamed “devil’s claw” or “unicorn plant”. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/15 "2017-11-06T20:58:33Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > So… what other things are there in our non-magical world that sound magical enough to be included within a wand? (they sort of have to be small enough to use that way too) How about a [Death’s-Head Sphinx.](http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/1280px-acherontia_atropos_mhnt_dos.jpg) Maybe you couldn’t get a specimen of that, but the [Pandora Sphinx](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumorpha_pandorus) is from eastern North America and would be easier to get hold of. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/16 "2017-11-06T20:59:00Z")
Rare Earth Magnets ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/17 "2017-11-06T23:08:45Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > How about a [Death’s-Head Sphinx.](http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/1280px-acherontia_atropos_mhnt_dos.jpg) Maybe you couldn’t get a specimen of that, but the [Pandora Sphinx](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumorpha_pandorus) is from eastern North America and would be easier to get hold of. I’m in the UK, so the Death’s Head is probably more likely found here - it’s mostly an immigrant - supposedly incapable of overwintering here (although I know of specific exceptions from a friend who has observed adults emerging from pupae in very sheltered microclimates) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2017, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/18 "2017-11-06T23:22:40Z")
Not a mythical creature, but the [hellgrammite](http://blog-yard-garden-news.extension.umn.edu/2013/06/what-heck-is-hellgrammite.html) sounds like it should be. The adult Dobsonfly (aka “flying hellgrammite”) looks even scarier. Apparently not in the UK though. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/19 "2017-11-07T07:41:36Z")
> [@Grave](#): > > A short treatise for the[black locust](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robinia_pseudoacacia) > > Invasive > Loved > > Annoying > Desired > > Flowerery > Destructive > > Ancient > Pioneer > > …a wand, made from an elder plant, full of portent and power I’ve actually worked with Black Locust timber before - it’s a weird greenish-yellow colour - very strong and quite dense - it would make a good wand ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2017, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884/20 "2017-11-07T08:06:08Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I sort of want to make it ‘authentic’ in the sense that it will be made from a specific named timber (I actually have some Elder in stock, but may use Hazel or something else) Rowan wood would be more magical, certainly in North Britain. It used to be turned into walking-sticks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-our-non-magical-world-which-items-sound-most-magical/800884.md?page=2)