Who WAS the True Master of the Elder Wand?

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 183953

> Mike:
> The Resurrection Stone. Eh, not really any need to resolve that
> plot line. It was only introduced in HBP and for all intents and 
> purposes it's story seemed over. We did have Dumbledore's blackened 
> hand never really explained. I mean, Snape said it was due to slow
> reflexes; and while it turns out that wasn't exactly true, who 
> really expected Snape to be telling Bella and Cissy the whole 
> truth? Besides, the real story left us just as many questions as
> the true story answered, didn't it?.

Jen: The Resurrection Stone had everything to do with the revelations 
about Dumbledore though.  First why, *why* this enormously 
intelligent man, who spent most of his later years trying to bring LV 
down, risked everything by putting on a Horcrux.  That needed some 
serious explanation to me.  Imagine that plot point hanging out there 
after DH if no Resurrection Stone existed, after seeing Snape attempt 
to heal him & question why he would do such a stupid thing.  I'd be 
right behind Snape in line to ask that question!  Without DD putting 
on the ring, Snape would then be in the position of killing a 
Dumbledore who wasn't dying, or the plot would need to be entirely 
different, maybe Snape revealing his loyalty earlier for instance.  
It completely changes Snape's trajectory.  

Mike:
> Harry's IC. JKR used one of her public statements to tell us that
> we should all be wondering why Dumbledore had James's cloak. Well,
> we had already been speculating about that, and came up with any 
> number of possibilities. So other than JKR's intent to introduce
> *this* cloak as one of the Hallows, I don't see how this story line
> needed any more resolution. JMHO

Jen:  This is one I would find difficult to let go of for symbolic 
reasons.  The cloak has everything to do with what makes Harry & 
Voldemort different.  Harry uses his cloak for (mostly) good reasons, 
to hide he & his friends from great danger.  He takes off the cloak 
when it's his time to die.  Voldemort taunts death, attempts to 
overcome it using magical power, believing in the higher authority of 
superior magic over human nature.  

Granted, JKR could have chosen to answer the DD ring question and 
symbolize the relationship between Harry/LV in another way 
besides "The Tale of the Three Brothers" and the Hallows.  I realize 
some of my arguments are circular. <g>  However, she said as far back 
as 1998 that "I know it's unfashionable to use this word, morality, 
and I never set out to preach, but I think the books do explore the 
misuse of power, and there's an attempt to make some sense of death." 
(The Herald).  

The Hallows definitely cover all the bases if the goals were 
exploring the misuse of power & making sense of death.  Whether JKR 
achieved her goals is up to the individual reader.  Harry represents 
the cloak, LV the Elder Wand and Dumbledore the Resurrection Stone in 
my opinion, and they act out the story of the Three Brothers in DH.  
I find the symmetry satisfying.