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In the first Harry Potter book, readers learn that the wand chooses the wizard, which means that one particular element of the later Harry Potter books doesn't make any sense at all. With seven books and eight movies under its belt, the Harry Potter franchise has a lot of lore, and for the most part, it follows a fairly logical path. However, the sheer amount of worldbuilding within the series also means that there are sometimes plot holes that make absolutely no sense. Unfortunately, one of these gaps centers on an important part of wizard life: wands.
One of the most memorable scenes in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is when Harry visits Ollivander's to purchase his own wand. Readers will remember that Harry tries out various wands that aren't right for him, leading to disastrous explosions of magic. It is obvious when Harry finds his wand though. The shop becomes filled with magic, and in the movie, a literal spotlight shines down on Harry's head. Presumably, this type of scenario occurs for every witch and wizard. Yet, early on in the series, a subtle detail brings this element of the story into question.
Ron Uses A Hand-Me-Down Wand In The First 2 Harry Potter Books
Why Ron Uses Someone Else's Wand
Despite the fact that Harry has a magical moment at Ollivander's where his wand chooses him, this rule does not necessarily apply to all wizards. In the first two Harry Potter books, it is revealed that Ron uses a hand-me-down wand. Apparently, the wand is his older brother Charlie's, and has now been passed down to Ron, the youngest Weasley boy. Going by Ollivander's logic, Ron's wand situation is a serious problem. That wand did not choose him, thus Ron's ability to do magic is sullied. Since the Weasleys are a pure-blood wizard family, this misstep makes very little sense.
Bill Weasley | 1 |
Charlie Weasley | 2 |
Percy Weasley | 3 |
Fred Weasley | 4 |
George Weasley | 5 |
Ron Weasley | 6 |
Ginny Weasley | 7 |
Presumably, the reason why Ron has a hand-me-down wand is because the Weasleys are notably poor. Unlike other pureblood families like the Malfoys, the Weasleys do not have house elves or cushy jobs. Molly Weasley doesn't seem to work at all, while Arthur Weasley works in a muggle-centric part of the Ministry of Magic, which puts him lower on the hierarchy. Factor in the fact that the Weasleys have seven children, and Ron's predicament is understandable. But even then, the Weasleys should know that they are putting Ron at a detriment by giving him a hand-me-down.
Ron's First Wand Doesn't Make Sense With The Wizarding World's Wand Lore
Charlie's Wand Situation Doesn't Make Sense Either
Ultimately, it makes no sense that Ron has a hand-me-down wand. If the wand chooses the wizard, then every witch or wizard would have to go to Ollivander's and find their ideal wand. Harry doesn't know this because he grew up with the Dursleys, but the Weasleys would most definitely have this knowledge. Yet, they allow their son to enter Hogwarts with a wand that did not choose him, putting him at a massive disadvantage. Molly clearly cares deeply about how her children perform at school, so it doesn't pan out that she would knowingly give Ron a bad wand.
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In reality, nothing about Ron's wand situation makes sense. If Ron got his wand from Charlie, that would mean that Charlie would have to get a new wand. While it makes sense that wizards would be allowed a second wand when their first one breaks, this clearly didn't happen to Charlie. He simply got a new one. Perhaps Charlie began using magic without a wand, allowing Ron to take it, but even then, that raises questions about this "wand chooses wizard" logic. If wizards can do magic without a wand, then their relationships to their wands can't be that important.
Ron's Secondhand Wand Could Explain His Challenges In The Early Harry Potter Books
What It Means If Ron's Wand Situation Was Purposeful
Ron's secondhand wand does come with problems in the book. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Ron breaks his wand after flying his father's magic car into the Whomping Willow. Despite using Spellotape, for the rest of the novel, Rom struggles to use magic. It isn't until later that he gets a new wand that, presumably, chose him. While Ron's wand breaking certainly played a part in his magic dysfunctions, it could also be that the wand simply wasn't right for him. Notably, Ron was never the best magic user, especially at the start of the series.
Perhaps the wand was meant to add to Ron's lack of confidence as a wizard and would make it clear when Ron grew.
Ron's wand problems raise the question of whether the series intentionally gave Ron a bad wand. Ron's hand-me-down wand makes sense because of his family's financial situation, and clearly, his wand gives him trouble in the first two books. Perhaps the wand was meant to add to Ron's lack of confidence as a wizard and would make it clear when Ron grew. However, that still doesn't really explain why the Weasleys would willingly give Ron a wand that wasn't for him. Clearly, Harry Potter's wand lore breaks its own rules to support certain storylines.
This Detail Isn't The Only Time Harry Potter Breaks Its Own Wand Lore
Harry Potter's Wand Lore Doesn't Ruin The Series
Ron's secondhand wand isn't the only way that Harry Potter breaks its own wand lore. One big storyline that goes against wand logic is the Elder Wand. The Elder Wand is the most powerful wand in the world and is passed from wizard to wizard when one kills another. The Elder Wand doesn't choose anyone, but is forcibly taken by its user. Because the Elder Wand is different from other wands, it makes sense that it wouldn't follow the same logic, but this plot hole persists. It makes readers wonder how many wizards had the same magical experience Harry did.
Fortunately, these gaps in the Harry Potter books do not totally ruin the story. While it can be frustrating to notice these logical issues, the magic of the story still remains solid. Harry's trip to Ollivander's is just as memorable, even if the lore it lays down is messed with later on in the series. However, it would be interesting to know how Ron's early story would have gone if he had had a working wand. Harry Potter likely would have been different if it had stuck to its wand logic, or gotten rid of wands altogether.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
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