Hermione moves to pluck her wand out from inside her sleeve, meaning to show him just what's meant by a core. But Anders' question surprises her, and she looks up at him curiously.

"Do you mean do we have something like the Fade? No, not as far as I know. Magic is just a form of energy that exists in the world around us, and those of us who are born as wizards or witches are able to sense that energy and utilize it. The wands help with that, at least insofar as focusing it to our whims... though, of course, it still requires quite a bit of practice as a child to get things working just right. That's why even with seven years of schooling, there's no guarantee that any young witch or wizard will be all that successful in a magical career."