Olivander giving Harry Potter his first wand is of the most iconic scenes in "Harry Potter: The Sorcerer's Stone." In the film, the music swells and the air swirls around the boy as the wand chooses him, but the little celebration is sharply ended when Olivander reveals that Harry's 11-inch wand shares a deep connection with Voldemort's, much like the boy himself.
The cores of both wands were made using the only two feathers that Albus Dumbledore's personal phoenix, Fawkes, ever allowed to be taken. Because of this, when the mortal enemies clashed, the wands would recognize each other as brothers and create a "reverse spell effect" that would blow up in Voldemort's face and even allow Harry's wand to absorb a portion of the dark lord's skill and prowess.
Harry's wand was made using holly, a type of wood used relatively rarely within the wizarding world. According to tradition, holly is especially adept at providing protection and repelling evil, and the people that holly wands choose are typically kind, loving leaders.
Harry uses his wand throughout every book until, in the seventh and final entry in the series "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," it's accidentally broken when a spell cast by Hermione Granger hits the wand as well as the villain attempting to kill Harry. Though saddened by the loss, Harry is ultimately able to repair it using the Elder Wand, which is able to perform feats that are otherwise impossible.
