Power of the Elder Wand

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 178988

sdcjjack:
> When I read that the master of the Elder Wand could not be defeated, I
> wondered how DD defeated Grim and gained control of the Wand? Was Grim
> not wielding the Wand in their battle?
> 

Pippin:
Canon suggests several possibilities. The wand can be stolen while its owner
sleeps. It can be taken by Expelliarmus if the holder is weakened or distracted. 
Or the owner may be hit by his own rebounding curse. Rita Skeeter, never able
to resist a  double entendre, suggests that there never was a battle at all. 

As Elphias Doge says there were witnesses I think that is meant to be a lie. But
it could have a grain of truth in it. Dumbledore knew Gellert's great 
weakness, his desire for the Deathly Hallows. If Dumbledore hinted that he had
discovered where the other two Hallows were, Gellert would have had a 
reason to try to take Dumbledore alive. Then it would just be a question of
stamina and magical inventiveness, two areas where Dumbledore excelled.

Dumbledore expected Voldemort to follow a similar strategy in protecting 
his horcruxes and not use methods that would kill the thief before he could
be interrogated. But it seems that he was wrong.

Pippin
using Gellert because Grindy-whatsit is hard to spell