Every Potterhead knows that Professor Snape’s undying love for Lily Potter was one of the sweetest yet most heartbreaking moments of the entire franchise.
And even though their friendship ended with Lily’s death, we still hope that their souls may one day find one another in the fictional afterlife of the Wizarding World.
Unfortunately, J.K. Rowling’s literary masterpiece no longer explores these characters’ souls after their demise… and we are left with this tragic yet beautiful “lost love” scenario.
Just like Snape, Pinay wandmaker, Jessica Cabrera had to endure the earth-shattering effect of a “lost love,” when she witnessed the passing of the man she once considered to be her world. Here she can be seen raising her Elder Wand in honor of her one true love, Marko Juni:
This all began back in 2013, when Jessica Cabrera and Marko Juni decided to start a wandmaking business together. “I told him (Juni) we should make a page where it’d be easier to market his wand creations. HP Wands is me and Marko’s baby,” Cabrera tells InqPOP!.
As co-owners, Cabrera noticed her partner’s difficulties in making the wands. Because of this, she decided to step-in and try her hand at crafting. “There was a time the orders suddenly came pouring in and I pitied Marko as his hands were already full of blisters and callouses in making all those wands. Out of love, I decided to start learning how to make wands myself so I could help lessen his burden,” she explains.
Together, the couple recreated some of the most famous wands seen in the Harry Potter films.
But this past May, their business was put on hold when Marko Juni passed away. Cabrera recounts, “it all transpired right in front of me — when he was having severe chest pains, up to the very end as I watched the line on his heart monitor rise up one last time. That was probably one of, if not the most excruciating situations I have ever dealt with in my life… to be helpless as the love of my life passed away right before my very eyes.”
During this period, Cabrera admits that continuing their business became very challenging, especially since she considered Juni to be the artist of the pair. “To be honest, I’m not really an artist. I’m not a sculptor, nor a painter – most definitely. So, I was doubtful if I could manage to keep HP Wands operational.”
Despite the difficulties that arose after his death, she decided to keep the business going. “Because when you are driven by love, some things you know you are incapable of doing are made possible. I told myself, I am going to continue Marko’s legacy and keep our baby, HP Wands, alive!” Cabrera exclaims.
Today, Cabrera and her brother continue Marko Juni’s legacy by creating beautifully intricate wands. In fact, their latest wand creations include the Harry Potter House Wands which were designed by Juni himself.
Through it all, we wish Jessica Cabrera and the whole HP Wands family the best of luck in their future endeavors. And as for the Philippines’ Mr. Ollivander, Marko Juni, we at InqPOP! raise our wands in your memory!
