"Wandcraft?" Kingsley asked, "You mean you can actually make wands?" he said with surprise and awe on him face.
"Yes, Grandpa Webb was teaching me before he passed. His soul is now trying to continue that teaching. But until recently I was struggling to understand what it was trying to tell me."
"Since this new understanding about the weaves involved with spells I have been able to produce Wands that are much more successful than earlier versions."
"Your Grandfather was able to make wands also?" Kingsley asked with surprise "Even with all that was done to him?"
"Yes he could. He made my first wand that I ever had." Dave answered.
"He was unsure where the knowledge came from however. As it seemed to be something he had 'before' he was broken. But he always thought that the greater part of what he had known about it was missing."
"For this reason he never made a living as a wand maker and became an Auror instead."
"He was very motivated to see that others never faced a miscarriage of justice like he had experienced at the hands of the Potters." Dave said with a guilty glance at Harry.
For his part Harry, did look slightly embarrassed about this comment but he acknowledged it and indicated for Dave to continue.
"For Grandpa Webb Wandcraft became more like a hobby to him. Because he wasn't doing it commercially he felt free to experiment with different woods and cores. Items that commercial wand makers wouldn't use for fear of harming their reputations."
"Very few wand makers will utilise native Australian woods in their wands insisting that the 'traditional' woods from the 'old country' are the only way to produce a true wand."
"Grandpa on the other hand would readily experiment with and investigate any potential new material or core. He uncovered many new potential combinations that have proved to be highly effective over the years." Dave answered with obvious pride.
"I have also tried to experiment and investigate like Grandpa did. But until recently my efforts were very much hit and miss and even when they did work they were not very capable."
"Once it dawned on my thick head that the patterns Grandpa kept talking about aligned to the weaves that I can see, things started to make much more sense to me. My success rate went up and the power and capability of my wands also greatly increased."
"Very recently I have even been able to produce a wand very different to anything before." He said with a proud smile on his face.
"What was different about this wand?" Ivan asked his son.
"I have managed to produce a wand that functions for sorcery. Much like a 'normal' wand functions for magic." He said to the utter astonishment of everyone but particularly his father.
"May I see it?" Ivan asked him.
"If you wish. Give me a moment to go and fetch it." Dave replied. At this he had to again 'bribe' a disappointed Gabrielle to allow him up. He then headed off to his tent and returned with a bundle under his arm.
Once he was back at the table he untied the bundle and rolled it out. It was full of different wands, of all different types. The choice was simply astonishing to see.
Dave selected a wand that was made from a reddish coloured wood with a very distinct pattern in it. He handed it over to his dad handle first. When Ivan held it you could see a glow come from it. He also had a smile on his face as he held it.
"It feels friendly." He said in surprise to his son.
"I should hope so. I was thinking of you when I made that one." Dave said with a smile.
"Try it and see if it works for you." Dave requested. "See if you can 'encourage' that small tree over by the rock wall."
"What from here?" he asked.
"Yes. Might as well make it a real test." Was Dave's reply.
Ivan stood up and pointed the wand at the tree. He then nearly dropped it in surprise when the tree began to grow and was several meters tall in a very short period of time.
Dave was grinning ear to ear at his father's reaction of surprise. The rest of his family were also evidently surprised but pleased as well. Ivan moved to give the wand back to Dave but he indicated that he should keep it.
"I made it for you dad. You should keep it." Was his reply.
"Thank you. It is truly a precious gift." He replied.
"What is it made from?" he asked.
"The wood is Snow Gum from the big tree near Grandma's place." He replied.
"The core?" Ivan asked.
"Diamond with a touch of gold." Was Dave's slightly embarrassed reply.
"Diamond?" Ivan asked.
"Yes. There are no sorcerous animals that can be used for a wand like this." He answered.
"But during our trip to China a few years back I learnt that they use various gems to focus their sorcery and some magic through. Diamond being the main gem used for sorcery although sapphires were used very commonly to."
"I had to experiment a bit, but I found I could create a very thin 'thread' of diamond. If I made several threads and mixed in one or two similar threads of gold as a type of re-enforcement. Then when they were 'woven' together just right I found I could focus sorcerous energy through it much like a lens."
"When that 'core' is combined with a suitable and compliant wood it formed a wand that behaved much like a 'regular' wand for a witch or wizard."
"Only that wand will not respond to someone who cannot manipulate sorcerous energy" he explained
"That's remarkable." Ivan said to the general agreement of everyone present.
During this conversation Gabrielle, had been looking at the various wands that Dave had created. One wand in particular seemed to have caught her eye. Tacking advantage of the lull in conversation she asked, "What is that wand over there?" she said indicating one of the wands near the end of the roll.
Following her gaze Dave asked, "Which one?"
Gabrielle raised her hand to point to the wand in question. As she did so the wand leapt from its location into Gabrielle's out stretched hand.
"I guess she means that one." Fireball laughed before she caught the look of utter surprise and awe on Dave's face.
Dave appeared to be completely thunderstruck. He kept on looking between the wand in Gabrielle's hand and her face. Whenever he returned his gaze to Gabrielle's face his own expression became one of such complete awe it was almost embarrassing to look at.
Gabrielle seemed to be getting a little flustered at Dave's lack of response to her questions. She ended up kissing him again to get his attention. This seemed to bring Dave out of whatever trance he was in.
"So THAT's the trick to getting his attention." Fireball exclaimed to her mother. "No wonder we have such a hard time with it." She said before having an attack of the giggles.
This seemed to once again set off the rest of the girls as well.
"Does it work for you?" Dave asked Gabrielle with a burning curiosity in his eyes.
"What is it made of?" She asked him.
"Please. My questions first? What do you feel when you hold it? Does it work for you?" Dave asked again with that burning curiosity still in his eyes.
"It feels warm, like it ez welcoming me." She replied with a small smile.
"Do you feel anything else?" Dave asked very intently.
"There is a strange feeling with it." She said returning Dave's rather intense gaze.
"Can you describe it? Please?"
Gabrielle closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment, "I would say there is a feeling of Safety and Strength" she replied. She then opened her eyes and stared very intently into Dave's for a moment before whispering something into his ear.
I couldn't catch what she said to him, but whatever it was caused a full body blush on Dave. Dave didn't even notice the comments that were being freely offered by his sisters, cousin and fellow team members. Whatever it was that Gabrielle had said to him had his complete attention.
For her part Gabrielle was standing facing Dave with a rather naughty little smile on her face. She was enjoying every moment of this I'm sure.
Finding his voice again Dave asked her, "Do you want to test it?"
"Oui"
Dave pointed to the training floor that was still in place from this morning and a target much like the ones used for his earlier demonstration appeared at the far end of the floor.
Dave then whispered something to Gabrielle and she nodded by way of reply. Dave then stepped back and gave her a clear shot at the target.
Gabrielle raised her wand at the target and fired what appeared to me to be a stunning spell at it. The effect on the target however was rather unique. Instead of there being a red mark on the target as had happened earlier in the day, there was now a piece missing from it.
Everyone was on their feet and cheering at Gabrielle's effort. But she only seemed to notice Dave's brilliant own smile and his applause for her.
"Another test?" he asked her.
"Oui. Ok" she answered.
Dave walked over to the low rock wall and came back with a loose stone that he had found. He grabbed his chair and moved it back from the table so that everyone could see and then placed the stone on the seat of the chair.
He next walked over to Gabrielle and whispered some instructions in her ear. "Just like that, but also don't force it." I heard him say as he stepped back to join the others at the table.
Gabrielle focused and pointed her wand at the stone. The stone seemed to shimmer for a moment and then it just seemed to flow into the shape of a flat bowl. The bowl was not made from common stone though. It looked as though it was now made of quartz.
The look of astonishment on her face was only matched by the look of joy and excitement on Dave's.
"It bloody well worked." Dave said with his face alight with joy
By now everyone was getting a little annoyed with Dave. As they all wanted to know what was so special about that wand that had him so worked up.
Ivan was eventually able to get Dave's attention and asked him, "Just what is that wand made from Dave. And why are you so excited about it working?"
"The wood in that wand came from BOTH Emma's and my trees back home." He answered.
"Both of your trees?" Sandra asked in astonishment.
"Yes both. I blended the wood in that wand much like I did for that dressing table I made for Grandma Webb." He said still smiling.
"What do you mean 'your trees'?" Kingsley asked Dave.
"Back home at mum and dad's place, there are two trees that kind of 'adopted' Emma and me as we were growing up. I'm still not entirely sure how the magic of it works, Mick's dad would be the one to ask for the best explanation."
"The short version is that these trees seemed to recognise us as 'kindred spirits' to them and to each other. So, the trees 'adopted' us to protect and guide us and to also serve as an anchor in times of need." Dave explained.
"I have always carried a twig from my tree and Emma's tree with me wherever I travel. It helps me to avoid feeling homesick when I'm gone for too long."
"What trees are you referring to Dave?" Sandra asked.
"The big Red Gum and the Ironbark on the bank of the river near the beach, the ones with all the Bowtruckles in them." Dave answered.
"Oh, I see." Sandra said with a knowing smile. "What about the core of the wand? What is it?"
"It has two cores actually." Dave answered to the astonishment of everyone.
"What are they?" Sandra asked, but I'm sure all the rest of us were only moments away from asking the same question.
"The first core is almost identical to the one in the wand I made for dad. Except that I added a few strands of sapphire as well." Dave explained.
"Hang on. You said a core like that couldn't be used by a witch or a wizard." Ivan remarked.
"Correct Dad. That's exactly what I said." Dave answered while looking into Gabrielle's eyes. She was as surprised as everyone else.
"Did she use that core at all?" Ivan asked Dave.
"If she followed my instructions she did." Dave answered, "She would have used it when she transformed the stone I found into that quartz bowl." He answered.
"Didn't she just transfigure it?" Hermione asked.
"Did you Gabrielle?" Dave asked her, "How did you achieve that result." He asked her.
"I just told it to change. Zen it changed in front of me." Gabrielle replied, still astonished at what she had done.
"That's all? You just said 'change'?" Hermione asked disbelievingly.
"Oui" Gabrielle answered, "Alzough I didn't say ze word out loud." She clarified.
"Does zis mean I am a Sorcerer?" she asked Dave.
"No. Well not yet anyway. But you most definitely have the native ability and strength to be one."
"With the right training and a good teacher of course." He answered her with a smile.
"Will you train me?" she asked with a shy smile.
"If your parents allow it and if you desire it. I would be happy to teach you." Dave answered with his own rather shy smile.
"It is a lot of work and it takes a long time to properly develop the skills. But I do believe that you have the right temperament to be able to control and eventually master it."
"Some of your native Veela traits will also serve you well in this training." Dave said with a smile.
"What you have already done today it more than some people can do even when they have been training solid for a year or more."
"Yes you had a wand to help focus your energies. But the fundamentals, are the same regardless of there being a wand involved or not." Dave tried to explain to a still very surprised Gabrielle.
"You will have French law on your side, as they allow their citizens to learn and practice sorcery. The only provision being that you sit a test much like the one for Apparition to show that you have mastered the required basics."
"Something for you and your parents to keep in mind also." Dave said smiling at both Gabrielle and her parents.
"To the best of our knowledge the French Ministry currently does not have ANY sorcerers who have successfully passed the licencing requirements." Dave explained to Gabrielle's and her parents delight.
"As soon as they are made aware of your natural talents and what you have achieved here today, they will be trying their very best to convince you to come and work for them. You will also within reason, be able to almost write your own employment contract if you so desire."
"But of course you didn't hear any of that from me did you?" Dave said with a very cheeky grin at Gabrielle and her parents.
"Hear what Monsieur." Exclaimed Monsieur Delacour with his own devious smile on his face and the sound of laughter from all assembled.
"Well played Monsieur Delacour." Dave replied with a little salute to him.
"What is the other CORE that is in Gabrielle's wand?" Hermione asked with her curiosity still in the hunt for answers.
Here Dave began to look a little nervous and a slight blush began to form on his cheeks.
"David!" Sandra said with some irritation. "Answer the question. What is the other core in that wand?"
"It's… It's me." Was Dave's very surprising answer.
Upon hearing his answer Gabrielle blushed to the roots of her hair and Dave quickly copied her. Everyone else was just gobsmacked.
"What do you mean, you?" Ivan asked his son. "Please explain it son."
"When I try to transform into my magical creature, all I can achieve so far is a collection of golden hairs as I mentioned before. When I showed Grandpa Webb what I could do he collected some of them from me."
"One of those golden hairs is in that wand." Dave said more than a little embarrassed.
"I wanted to see if my magical creature was 'good enough' for Wandcraft. But when I tried to use the wand it wouldn't respond to me."
"Until today I thought that I had royally screwed it up and wasted one of those hairs." He said looking at his feet in embarrassment.
"That's why I was so surprised when that wand accepted Gabrielle as its master and worked for her so wonderfully." Dave said with a quick glance at Gabrielle and a shy smile at her before he again examined his shoes.
For her part Gabrielle was looking at the wand in her hand with a new sense of wonder. She also seemed to be regarding Dave in a new (and VERY approving) way.
"Zose feelings I was getting from ze wand. Zey are ultimately coming from toi?" Gabrielle almost purred to Dave with a fierce light burning in her eyes.
Dave seemed to be a little dumbstruck at this observation and his power of speech also seemed to have left him.
'Thankfully' for Dave his father was close at hand to 'help' him through this 'difficult' moment.
"From what I know of Wandlore, given that the wood is from Dave's and Emma's own trees that alone would indicate that any emotions you feel from that wand would indeed be connected to him."
"Add to that the fact that the magical core IS Dave, that could only serve to magnify and add to the emotions carried with in the wood itself." He helpfully explained.
"Merci Monsieur Webb." Gabrielle replied to Ivan with a wonderful little smile. "I zink I need to borrow your son for a bit so we can 'ave some time to properly talk togezer."
Without waiting for a reply, Gabrielle used her free hand to grab Dave's and 'dragged' him off to the orchard in search of somewhere private to 'talk'.
"Should we send a protective detail after them?" Fireball asked her parents. Her eyes were alight with mischief.
"To protect who?" Ivan asked, "Gabrielle seems to be in good hands." He remarked.
"I do not zink it is Gabrielle who may need protecting in zis case." Fleur said with her own naughty little smile on her face as she struggled with her own case of the giggles.
"If zey are not back in an 'our or two we can always send some policewomen in to rescue Dave." Madame Delacour said before succumbing to a bout of the giggles herself. She seemed to have started a chain reaction amongst the other girls also.
Ivan looked to his wife with a confused expression on his face that was just so very similar to Dave's. Sandra could only smile at him and run her hand lovingly along the side of his face and through his hair.
"Oh my dear, there are just some things that they don't teach our Aurors at the academy." She said with a smile before joining in with the fresh round of laughter that had erupted.
"I get the feeling that this is related to that report that you had promised me earlier. Isn't it." He asked with a very intense but curious expression.
"You could say that my dear." She answered, before she proceeded to tell her husband what she had learnt of the events that took place in Paris back in March. All the girls were only too happy to assist with the commentary.
Without Dave, around to engage in futile attempts to defend himself the story went so much quicker. Ivan and indeed the rest of the males there (yes including the ones from Dave's team) were greatly enlightened by this story.
I also got the feeling that poor Dave would not be living this incident down for a significant amount of time to come.
The most interesting thing to come out of the retelling of this story was the admission by Monsieur Delacour that he thought that he might have been the one to supply a copy of the magazine. As he had a business partner of his own in Australia that had once requested that he track down a copy of a surfing magazine for his daughter.
Ivan asked him the name of his business partner in Australia and he replied, "John Thompson".
At this Ivan and his family fell into Hysterics. Eventually they informed us that he was indeed the father of Dave's Emma. This only seemed to embarrass Monsieur Delacour for the embarrassment he had brought to Dave.
Dave's entire family on the other hand were profusely thanking him for his efforts. Going from the looks on the faces of my own boys I was sure that they were also appreciative of the efforts of Monsieur Delacour as they all (George particularly) looked like they were planning something 'suitably memorable' for Dave.
It was the second time that day that I began to feel sorry for poor Dave. But in the end my curiosity won out and I had to see what they would do to the poor boy. I also have to admit I was interested in what Dave's response would be also.
Dave, when you get to this part of the story I hope you can forgive me for not warning you about the plans of my boys. I know that you still get teased about this story, but it is only because we all love you so much. Besides your future bride still LOVES to hear the story retold and we can't disappoint her now can we my dear.
As to your rather unique response to their antics. Those stories have brought more joy and laughter to our family than you can know. Angelia nearly suffered an injury when she was told about what you did to poor George. Of course the photos provided by Ginny are among some of her most treasured possessions (although she does need to keep them out of the reach of George).