Leopold enjoyed Ollivander's company.  The wandmaster had a subtle dry wit but he wasn't above enjoying a bawdy pun or two.  It was the joys of age.  With it came respect and a certain degree of liberty.  Old men could get away with things that younger men could not.  Leopold had offered a pot of tea in exchange for the chance t0 pick the man's brain. 

His portion of the Tournament business for the moment completed and nothing pressing calling him back to London, Ollivander seemed quite eager to examine Obderedria Pienas's errant wand.  "Bad business, this back alley wand trade,"  he said.  "Substandard wood, substandard cores, shoddy workmanship.  It's designed to prey on the muggleborn who haven't learned much about how they magical world works."

"That sounds like exactly what happened,"  Leopold said, nodding.  "The wand seems to work well enough but it has it little idiosyncrasies," Leopold explained.  "Surges.  Odd colouration."

"I'll have a look when the young lady arrives,"  Ollivander said.  "You mentioned a replacement wand, if I needed to do some work to repair hers?"

Leopold nodded.  "If it suits her," he said.

Obderedria had no clue why her Head of House had summoned her to his office. And to make sure she had her wand. Maybe he was going to help her catch up in Transfiguration. She wasn't too worried, his monkey Howler was funny and he would probably offer tea and almond biscuits.

She knocked before entering, pausing when she realized there was someone else talking to Professor Sandusky. A man as old as he, maybe older, with a lined face with closely shaved stubble like wrinkled sandpaper. She didn't know who he was until she remembered that he had been introduced as the wandmaker Ollivander at dinner last night. Obderedria had been more interested in the international smorgasbord that had been styled for the announcement of the first champions. Even if another tournament was held in her time at Hogwarts you wouldn't find her name in the cup.

Slightly unnerved, Obderedria spoke up. "Um...you wanted to see me, professor?"

"I did, Miss Pineas,"  Leopold said.  "Come in.  Sit down.  Would you like some tea?   Lemon and sugar, as I recall.   I took the liberty of asking Mr Ollivander to examine your wand."  The old professor slid a tea cup towards the corner of his desk where another chair waited.  "Garrick, this is the young lady I was telling you about."

Ollivander extended a hand that looked barely more than a skeleton covered in parchment.  His grip was firm but not as bony as Obderedria would have expected.  Perhaps it was the wand work that gave him such a delicate touch.  "A pleasure, Miss Pienas," he said.  "Your professor tells me that you have a rather peculiar wand."

Obderedria bewilderedly took the wand maker's hand. "Oh, yes professor, tea would be lovely. And honey too, a little of everything." It hadn't even been a week since Professor Sandusky told her about possibly having her wand examined. She had brushed it off as if he had been a forgetful telly repairman.

"My wand? Well, it's not one of yours, and I've heard that's bad -- err, limiting." She sat.

"I see what you mean on discolorations," said Mr. Ollivander, leaning back in his seat. "What an unusual pattern for a hair styling spell."

"Oh, these?" Obderedria fiddled with a lock of green and brown hair. "No, this isn't resent, it happened before I ever had a wand. Long story."

"Hmmm," Mr. Ollivander contemplated this information. "May I examine your wand, Miss Pienas?" She passed it over. He fingered every inch of it, testing its flexibility. "Yes, very rushed craftsmanship...eight inches, rather short...but the wood of Apple shows promise, uncommon to find wand quality apple trees, attracted to witches with inner charm and geniality...though I've found Hippogriff talon to not be as universally consistent across all fields of magic as the cores I use, when paired with apple that would explain the selectivity...Lumos."

The was a moment where Obderedria wondered if the orange glow would appear but after a delay harshly grey light ignited from the wand before sputtering out. She found herself on the edge of her seat. It hadn't turned orange? Where did the orange come from?

Ollivander frowned briefly. "Surging at another's hand." He turned to the young Hufflepuff. "Your wand is rather unusual, Miss Pienas. I would consider it incomplete, I would never sell a wand in such a state."

She could guess what words he was meaning to say. A poor wand. An improper wand. A horrible wand.

"But..." Ollivander held the wand in both hands close to his face, as if he was both peering down the shaft and listening to it. "I sense your wand clearly favors you, Miss Pienas. I doubt it would accept anyone else with its raw potential. Much of its fickle nature is from its construction. The core does not like to flex along with the wood."

"Really?" Relief flooded her like an ice cream headache. So she didn't have the wrong wand after all. "But, what exactly does that all mean? It sounds like my wand is unfinished."

"Not necessarily unfinished,"  Ollivander answered.  "Think of a wand as a puzzle.  If you try hard enough, some of the pieces can be put in the wrong place.  Given a little time and effort the incorrect pieces can be located and put into the correct position.   If you would allow me to take your wand with me, I can see if I might be able to correct the errors that the original wand maker made.  I could return it when I come back to weight the wands of the next set of champions."

"I have a wand that you might be able to use in the meantime, if it is properly suited to you,"  Leopold said.  "I've asked Mr Ollivander to check and see if it would be suitable for you to use temporarily."  He pulled a blue wedgewood china box out of his desk.  It was perhaps ten inches long and two inches square.   He opened the lid and pulled out the wand.

"Beech,"  Ollivander said immediately.  "Eight inches.  May I?"  When Leopold handed over the wand, Ollivander nodded.  "As I suspected.  This is one of my uncle's wands.  Made in the mid 30's, I'd say.  Smooth and springy.  Unicorn mane, rather than tail.  A woman's wand.  I detect a scent of lavender but I suspect that is from the box it was stored in."  He gave the wand a swish and the sound of tinkling crystal could be heard, mixed with silvery laughter.  Ollivander smiled and looked at  Pienas.  "This wand will do nicely for you as a substitute,"  he said.  "If you're willing to allow me to see if I can correct the issues with your current wand."

"You mean, you can fix it? But it'll be until the next selection of champions before I get it back?" That seemed like such a long time. Now that Obderedria held her wand again after the observation she was reluctant to pass it up. Although really, this was supposed to be a helpful venture from the older men. Stop being silly.

"But for class -- oh." Professor Sandusky had another wand already. Some small part of Obderedria had to admit that the other wand seemed perfect compared to hers and the tinkling laughter was much nicer than results like a failing flashbulb. And it smelled like a decent shampoo.

"It is a very pretty wand." Obderedria had shifted to a rather prim posture in her seat, hands on her lap. "But, will it work? I wouldn't want to mar such a lovely thing if there's going to be trouble--" The next time she needed to perform magic it could be just as bad as some of her previous attempts. Well, if she avoiding casting spells at people -- but oh, what about Defense Against the Dark Arts?

"True, this wand has known another's hand but I gather it has not been used for some time," Mr. Ollivander reassured her. "Beech seldom pairs with close minded individuals but your creativity would be acceptable to it. You'll find that unicorn hair will still favor charms but it will be even across all kinds of spells, helpful for any classes you have had trouble in."

"It's also the same length as mine, wasn't it?" Ollivander nodded. "I guess it won't feel too different then," Obderedria shrugged. Hadn't hers been viewed as short negatively? -- maybe this wand had a proper fitted core and everything. At least she would have a replacement although she was hesitant to touch such a piece of artwork. She was curious. "Who owned this wand, previously?"

A sad smile crossed Leopold's face.  "Her name was Lillian Westminster,"  he said.  "My wife.  She passed away."  He looked at Pienas and tried to turn the sad smile into a happy one.  He failed.  "There is no reason I see why it should lie unused," he said.  "Lillian was a generous soul and I hardly think that she would object to you using her wand for a little while.  Of course I'm going to ask you to be very careful with it.  I'd like it back when Mr Ollivander returns with your wand."

Unspoken was the amount of trust Leopold was placing in the young girl.  He obviously believed that she would take care of the wand, otherwise he would not have offered it to her.  It was, after all, a temporary loan, rather than turning the wand over to her permanently.

"Please say you'll accept it,"  Leopold said, his voice trembling slightly.

Obderedria's eyes shone wide as big as the teacup saucers. This was Professor Sandusky's wife's wand!! And he was offering it for her to borrow!! Lillian Westminster, and she had died -- and still had her maiden name and being a single child under her mother's maiden name Obderedria was quick to pick up on that, it suggested far greater tragedy -- although maybe Professor Sandusky just introduced her that way instead of something more common like 'my wife Lillian' like most other people--

The spotted haired Hufflepuff was split. She would need a wand for classes but to use such a keepsake, even if Professor Sandusky was fine with it. She had never seen him so sad before.

"I-I-I'd love too b-but are you sure? I would never want your wife's wand to come to any harm," images of harsh DADA lessons and charms gone awry sprang to mind, "and what if it doesn't work and my magic is out of control again and should the worst happen--"

Obderedria was start to babble again, wringing her skirt in her hands. Eyes darting back and forth she noticed Ollivander giving her a bemused expression with his grizzled face and she tried to read the professor's.

"Perhaps you should try the wand before you make your decision,"  Leopold said.  "If you can't use the wand, there is no point.  If you can, I'm sure Lillian would prefer that it find some use, rather than just sit in a box on a shelf, gathering dust."  What he didn't say was that he spent most of one night holding the wand and weeping silent tears while he agonized over whether he should make the offer.

He sat back in his chair, his lower lip quivering slightly, waiting for Pienas to make up her mind.  He wasn't sure what he would do if the girl declined the offer.  There weren't many loaner wands available and Lillian's wand was in by far the best condition.

"O-Okay." Obderedria gingerly picked up the wand. At once an odd feeling course through her, like accidentally biting the finfoil that wrapped the burrito only this was from her fingers. There was a tangible...what to call it? Negativity? Feedback? She'd heard again and again that since wands choose the wizard so the wrong wand and wizard didn't feel right.

Only she couldn't tell Professor Sandusky this, that would be horrible. It wasn't too bad of a wand, it just didn't 'feel' like her wand when she held it. Even if it was defunct, her old wand felt comfortable in her grip. But would it still after the work was done on it--?

She sat there with the wand in her hand wondering what to do. Should she try a spell? There was supposed to be some sort of indication of the magic working, as she had gathered from others who had gotten their wands from Ollivanders. When Obderedria had gotten her wand one flick had sent the flowers of a nearby florist cart spinning into the air like helicopter toys, of which she had been told such things where normal though she vowed not to touch it until school began.

Maybe she should try one of those tricks that Ollivander did. Although was that a spell or the wands personality? He probably knew nonverbal magic which sounded so advanced and impossible to the young Hufflepuff. Obderedria waved the wand back and forth hoping for that musical laughter. And there were chimes, only broader like church bells instead of the dainty tones from before.

"Is that -- good?"

Ollivander frowned slightly.  "I would have expected a slightly better compatibility,"  he said.  "Most wands will function for any witch or wizard but they have a primary loyalty that can be changed, given any number of circumstances.  Now, young lady, are you accepting this wand or are you only taking it to be polite?  The wand will know and unless you are sincere in your willingness to use it, you may experience some difficulty."

Leopold pursed his lips and picked up his tea cup.  Howler climbed up into his lap and tugged on his beard.  The old man chuckled and offered the monkey an almond cookie.  It stayed in his lap,  eating the treat with great relish and spreading crumbs over his robes.  "The choice is yours, Miss Pienas.  I will not be offended if you refuse the wand.  Neither will I hover over your left shoulder to make certain that you don't damage it.  The wand belonged to my wife but she was far more than just her wand.  She lives in my memories and in my heart, not in that length of wood and unicorn mane.  It is a keepsake, nothing more and it will get more use in your hands than it will in a box on my shelf."

Obderedria suddenly felt scrutinized, placed under the proverbial microscope. Or whatever it was wizards used -- Super-sensory, that was something she'd heard from the older students -- making her instantly apologetic.

"Yes!. I mean, no!! Not to just be polite--" although her heartstrings were pulled to be gracious, she just had difficulty on how to "--but I've never, um, handled someone else's wand before. It just seems so rude. I mean, like in class because we're all supposed to use our own, and I've never been quick should anyone, say, drop theirs--" Words could continue streaming from her mouth unprompted.

Her lower lip herded under her top row of teeth. She had to accept the wand? That was so strange, at her first instance at getting the primary tool of magic she'd just been handed one and that was that. She hadn't expected wands to be so different and individualistic, even when she came to school and found that everybody's was a little bit different. Like that had come later.

Obderedria tried to focus on the wand. It was pretty, smelled nice, and the odd tingling wasn't that bad -- the tingling lessened somewhat. Should she try again with 'waving' whatever it was? Or perhaps a spell, the scrutiny from her Head of House and the wandmaker reminded her of the practical portion of her charms final last year.

"Err, Lumos!" And from the wand-tip the wand shone pearly white with an ethereal, almost angelic sound effect as if the wand had been singing. Obderedria was relived the the spell had worked flawlessly -- though a tad crestfallen, as she was already missing the orange tint form the Lumos of her wand, left on the desk where Ollivander would take it away to be fixed.

"Much better," Ollivander said, nodding.  "The wand knows, you see.  I suspect you'll have no difficulty using it as a short terms solution and I will get your wand back to you as quickly as I can.  I will be so bold as to offer this prediction.  As good as you will be with that wand, you will be better with your own, once the wrinkles have been ironed out.  The wand chooses the witch and your wand chose you.  I will do what I can to make certain that your wand will be reliable when you next wield it."

"Excellent!"  Leopold said.  "I look forward to seeing the results of your repair work, Garrick.  What do you think, Miss Pienas?  Will you be able to use this wand while yours is being taken care of?  As Ollivander said, it seems to work quite well, now that you are willing to use it."

Truthfully the singing of the wand had sent a shiver down Leopold's spine.  Secondary magical effects tended to be restricted to an individual but Ollivander had brought out the silvery laughter.  Was there still a tiny part of Lily somewhere in the wand, almost like an impression left behind, some sort of echo?  Neither his knowledge of spirits nor his knowledge of wand craft was sufficient to answer that question.  No doubt it would be a question asked and  answered previously.  He'd just need to do a little research.

 "More tea?" he asked, topping up his own cup.  Ollivander declined, citing an overactive bladder.

"Oh, yes please." Obderedria passed her drained cup. The wand still made her fingers tingle whenever she touched it. Hopefully she would align with it until her real wand came back. But then would her wand still like her? Could she use it after it was altered? Her head was swimming with questions, swimming in fragrant sweet and lemon tea. The odd almond biscuit bumping the lobes of her brain -- wait...

She found it curious of the wand's musicality, is was different than the quirks of her wand -- the glitches, for how it was said. Obderedria was curious. "Do wands ever specialize in certain spells? Your wife's wand is unlike anything I've ever seen, Professor." Though she had only the year and month of the wizarding world under her belt -- that was another odd phrase, why would you keep things under your belt? Wouldn't it fall down your pant leg?

Leopold turned and looked at Ollivander.  The old wandmaster pursed his lips.  "Certain types of wands have an affinity for a particular type of magic.  Cedar with phoenix feather, for example would be an ideal wand for defensive magic.  Over time, I suppose a wand could develop an affinity for a particular spell if it was cast frequently.  A Patronus, for example, keeping in line with our example wand."

"I'd be surprised to learn that you were familiar with many wands not based on Ollivander's models,"  Leopold said to Pienas.  "My wife's wand, and mine as well for that matter, were made following a different design.  Out of all the wands in this school, the vast majority of students will be using an Ollivander."

The old wandmaster bowed his head in modesty but he couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face.