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Harry Potter fans banned from wand shop for not being real wizards

The wands are meant to strictly be used for casting healing spells and as good luck charms

Clarisse Loughrey
Sunday 07 August 2016 16:47 BST
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(Everett Collection)

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If there's one community that's really been burdened by the Harry Potter phenomenon - it's the real-life witches and wizards out there.

It's certainly become an aggravation for one Richard Carter, who owns the shop Mystical Moments in Huddersfield; whose shop does supply wands, but for casting healing spells and as good luck charms. As opposed to yelling, "Expecto Patronum!", at each other.

The Sun reports Mr. Carter, 57, has now banned Harry Potter fans from his store; refusing to sell the wands to them, which are intended for use in drawing protective circles, warding off evil forces while owners meditate, or to bring fortune in the form of love or money.

Fans react to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

"You wouldn’t believe how many real witches and wizards there are knocking about. You would be amazed," Mr. Carter stated. "They know they can come here and reveal themselves without people thinking they’re mental. I don’t have customers who have been Harry Potterfied. If I had someone come in wanting a wand just because they liked Harry Potter I would not sell them one, no matter how much they were offering."

That said, the ritual of choosing a wand in Mystical Moments isn't too far off what would happen at Ollivander's in Diagon Alley; customers must pick a wand that catches their eye, pick it up, and see whether it feels right in their hand. After a selection has been made, a ritual is performed where incense is used to cleanse it of the wandmaker's energy. Furthermore, different types of wood are said to imbue different magical properties.

Some Potter fans have hit back at the decision, with Mariella May, 21, stating; "It is so stupid. it is like McDonald’s refusing to sell happy meals to sad people. They could be selling thousands of wands if they weren’t so snobbish."

Indeed, Mr. Carter will have a hard time fending off fans with the franchise's popularity spiking even further of late; between the continuation of its story on stage with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, alongside the upcoming release of spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

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