It was almost impossible to tell what material a wand had originally been made from after Ollivander had worked on it. Once stripped, sanded, and polished, they were shaped into forms more suitable for human use. Sometimes even the color of the wood changed, as if it had been lacquered.
Snape's wand was pure black. He believed that protective layer allowed it to be better maintained.
"May I see your wand?" Ollivander asked Pomona as they walked along a path carpeted with fallen leaves.
"Of course," Pomona said, handing her beech wand to Ollivander.
It still looked like a branch, with its bark unstripped, as though it had been casually picked up from the ground. Because of that, the beautiful sheen unique to beechwood could not be seen.
"It doesn't seem to be in very good condition," Ollivander said as he examined Pomona's wand. "It appears to need adjusting."
"Can you adjust it for me?" Pomona asked.
Ollivander gently bent the wand, seemingly testing its flexibility. Then he raised it until it was level with his eyes.
"Interesting... very interesting," Ollivander muttered, but he returned the wand to Pomona. "I suggest you seek out its original maker."
Pomona accepted her wand and put it away. Dumbledore's second wand had not been made by Ollivander either. Like Pomona's beech wand, it still retained its bark, and Ollivander was likewise unable to adjust it.
"When the founders first established the school of magic, they made wands themselves and gave one to every new student who enrolled," Dumbledore said, as though consoling himself. "We can learn how to make and adjust wands ourselves."
"Actually, I think oak suits me better than beech," Pomona said jokingly. "I hear its bark is so thick that no matter how much you peel, you can never finish."