Hey folks! I haven't discussed with Kayte if she intends to bring Gervaise back for the summer, but Gideon is chilling in Hogsmeade and available for wand threads at any point.

Here are some things to know about wand threads:

• If you are shopping with a Muggle relative you must use the Diagon Alley shop
  
• Supply lists come out at the end of July, so most people will shop in August. It's not a surprise to any (magical) family that you'll need a wand, though, so you can come in to look for one prior to that if you like.
  
• If you have a particular wand in mind already, you can still have a wand thread! Just tell me via Skype or PM what your *final* wand is and we can have a little fun trying out some other wands before we reach it. You can also tell me partial preferences like a certain wood/core and leave the rest up to the thread.
  
• In my threads I choose and describe the wand(s), then let you describe what (if anything) happens when your character picks it up - that way you still get to choose the wand in the end. If you post a reply that is just "Sally picked up the wand and waited to see what happened" I might be a lil grumpy.
  
• For reactions: basically anything in reason is okay. Don't destroy all the wands in the shop, don't kill anyone, don't light the entire town on fire. Destructive reactions are fine but remember that a first year is unlikely to accidentally summon a portal to another dimension on the floor of Ollivander's.
  
• For the sake of speed I typically start with 1 wand/post and then move to 3 wands/post; you can try as many of them in your reply as you like.
  
• I've headcanoned that various customization options like silver handles are available for extra price if you want to be fancy. You'll have to leave your wand at the shop so it can be fitted with one and you can pick it up in a few days.
  
• There are also secondhand wands available for lower prices; selecting these would work the same way as a new wand and they're all tested and certified to still be functional. Depending on the wood/core they might have some 'habits' from their previous owner/previous use, which could make for a fun dynamic!
  

What's the benefit of having a wand thread instead of just choosing something? Gideon gets really into describing the wands so you'll have some extra headcanon to work with about your wand's personality! For example, Jimmy Fletcher's wand has a core from a 'particularly fearsome dragon'!

-> Not a first year? I'm always up for wand threads, either for replacements or for backdating if you're particularly inclined.

Want to get crazy? - Gideon took on Questor Spryly as a shophand recently to help with the summer rush. His job is mostly restocking the workshop supplies and he has definitely not been trained to match people with wands. That might not prevent him from trying, though. If anyone wants a very chaotic thread with Olive which is interrupted at some point by a very miffed Gideon (who will probably fire him on the spot depending on the damage done), let us know!