Power of the Elder Wand

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 179000

---  "sdcjjack" <sdcjjack at ...> wrote:
>
> 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?
> 
> sdcjjack
>

bboyminn:

Here is the most critical and important point, other have made
it already, but I will state it more bluntly.

We must separate the /Legend/ of the Three Brothers and their
magical objects from the /Reality/ of the Three Brothers and
their magical objects. In the legend, the owner of the wand
is unbeatable, yet, we see that the owners, in both reality
and legend, are repeatedly defeated. That is how the wand
usually passes from person to person. So, clearly owning 
the want does not make you undefeatable.

Clearly, the Cloak does not truly shield you from death.

Clearly, the Stone does not truly bring the dead back to life.

Each object is extraordinary is its quality, level of magic,
and ability, but just extraordinary. They are not 'god'-like.

As to Grindelwald and Dumbledore, well Grindelwald was in
prison, so obviously Dumbledore did not kill him. But 
Dumbledore did find some way to outsmart him and defeat him. 
Whether he appealed to logic, conscience, simply tricked him,
or out dueled him, we don't know for sure, but we know by
allege first hand accounts is was the duel of all duels. 

Think about what we saw in the Ministry of Magic in the
Duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort; that was pretty 
spectacular. I suspect, the duel between Grindelwald and
Dumbledore outshown that duel considerably. 

Note that in war or duels, it is not always the guy with the
biggest gun that wins. It is usually the guy with the 
quickest wits, the fastest to adapt, the most functional
and practical knowledge, etc... that wins the day. 

In the Duel between Harry and Voldemort, that proved true.
Harry provoked Voldemort because he knew as Voldemort's
emotion raised, his defenses would fall. What Harry was
angling for was to know precisely when Voldemort's final
curse was coming so he could counter it. Harry said things
that instilled doubt in Voldemort; uncertainty breeds
hesitance, and if you hesitate in battle likely you die. 

It is entirely possible that everything Harry said to 
Voldemort was total bull dung. He may have just been 
buffing until he knew Voldemort's curse was coming. By
simple sending a counter curse at the same time and forcing
a rebound, that alone would have been enough to finish
voldemort off.

Likely much of what Harry said was true, but it doesn't have
to be for Harry to win. 

So, relative to Grindelwald and Dumbledore, Dumbledore most
certainly outsmarted Grindelwald, though exactly how, we
don't know.

Steve/bboyminn