Harry Potter is a great series, and it's been my favorite for a long time now. I've always wanted my own wand, but they're a bit pricey. I decided to play around with a stick and knife, and found out how to make my own wand. I hope you enjoy!

Step 1: What You'll Need:

1. A stick, as straight as you can get. Try looking in a woods or around a tree. Don't take one from a branch directly off of a tree. They don't work as well when you're carving. 2. A knife. It doesn't matter how big or small. I just used a little old pocket knife that I found in my garage. 3. (Optional) Nail polish or paint. You might want to paint it. I just used a clear coat of nail polish to make it more uniform, but you can do whatever you want with it.

Step 2: Mark It

Mark the stick where you want it to end. This is optional, but if it's too long, this is helpful. I suggest measuring it by putting the bottom in the crease of your elbow and the top over your palm and near your fingertips. The ideal length is right above where your fingers start, maybe even a little bigger. Don't break the excess off yet, you might change your mind.

Step 3: Clean It

Scrape the stick with your knife until it's free of bark, gnarls, and other imperfections. It should be mostly smooth. Now it's safe to take the excess part of the stick that you don't want. Make the mark you made earlier a bit deeper. It should snap right off. Be careful, though, because it could still break your stick.

Step 4: This Is How It Should Look

In the Harry Potter movies, the "core" or the handle of the wand is always different. That's why the bottom of my stick looks different. That's just how I made it, and you don't have to do it like I did.

Step 5: Design

Start to make designs on your stick. Carve them in deep so you'll be able to see them.

Step 6: Paint It

Now that you're done carving it, paint it. You can use any color, I just wanted to use a clear coat because I liked the original color of the wood. Let it dry for about ten minutes.