The Complete Idiot's Guide to the World of Harry Potter (11 page)

Although the hair or feather of nearly any magical creature can act as the core of a wand, the three used most commonly by expert wand-maker Mr. Ollivander (see Chapter 7) are unicorn hair, phoenix feather, and dragon heartstring.

Most wizards dress in long, flowing, plain robes, similar to what U.S. judges still wear today, and rather like the robes of priests or monks, but not cinched at the waist.

Robes, made from a variety of materials, come in all colors, and can match the wearer’s tastes, personality, or color preferences, or can show a particular affiliation, such as a school, house (a subdivision within a school), or team.

In school, at work, and even around the house, wizards wear their everyday robes (called work robes), often black and always floor-length (unless the wizard in question has had a growth spurt and hasn’t yet purchased new robes). For ceremonies, celebrations, balls, and other special events, wizards wear dress robes in a variety of colors.

As has been true throughout history, in the wizarding world, the materials used in robes are drawn from geographic markers. Mediterranean wizards wear silk robes; wizards from cold climates wear fur, wool, and other warmth-retaining fabrics. In colder weather, wizards also wear long cloaks (that is, a long coat that wraps around the body and fastens near the neck but may not have actual sleeves) that either match or complement their robes. At Hogwarts, cloaks must be black with silver fastenings. Hats—generally black (although they can match one’s robes) and pointed—may be worn during formal occasions, but rarely at any other time.

One other type of cloak—and one that’s a rare find among wizards—is an invisibility cloak. When worn, others cannot see any part of your body under the cloak, so if you pull the cloak over your head and your feet are still covered, you’ll be completely invisible. And you can even bring your friends along for the ride, as long as they, too, fit entirely under the cloak. An invisibility cloak has strikingly similar abilities as the One Ring in Tolkien’s
The Hobbit
and
The Lord of the Rings,
but the Ring is, at least in the short term, easier to use than an invisibility cloak, because your entire body becomes invisible the moment you put the ring on—no worrying about your feet being seen, the cloak coming off your shoulders, and whatnot. But the Ring has the downside of drawing you ever closer to a major source of evil in the world, so there’s that
tiny
issue of losing your soul and forever altering the world’s balance of power between good and evil. Details, details. Either way, though, no matter how you make yourself invisible, someone can still bump into you and feel your corporeal being, and you still leave footsteps in snow, dirt, or ash.

As in nearly all cultures, personal wealth determines the style, fit, and quality of fabric used to make robes. Styles change ever-so-slightly from year to year, but wealthier wizards keep up with those trends, as well as using fine, beautiful, flowing fabrics for their robes. Wizards with less money to spend on their wardrobes will tend to be seen in ill-fitting, out-of-style robes made with courser fabrics and in less distinct colors.

Wizards throughout literature have always worn long robes and/or cloaks. Although Tolkien called what Gandalf wore a grey (and later white) “cloak,” the garment’s description appears to be more robelike than cloaklike. Gandalf also nearly always sported a tall, pointed blue hat—but he also traveled nearly constantly, and travelers have long worn hats wherever they go.

Sure, the long robe and pointy hat are dead giveaways for any wizard, but underneath, those in the wizarding world are the same as anyone else. Literally, they dress just the same—many wizards, especially young wizards, wear jeans, sweatshirts, and trainers (tennis shoes) under those robes.