CHAPDISC: DH27, The Final Hiding Place

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 184158

> Carol:
> I don't think so. an AK is an AK, 

Pippin:
I don't think so. A Reparo is not a Reparo, not when performed by the
Elder Wand. The Elder Wand gives usual spells unusual power, and that
should apply to the killing curse as to any other. Hermione thinks
that wands are only as powerful as the wizard who uses them. But she's
wrong. 

In terms of what that means, you can't kill anyone deader with an
AK-47 than you can with a flint axe or the jawbone of an ass, but you
can do it faster, with less effort, and from further away. That's what
people expect of superior weapons, and that's what the Elder Wand is
supposed to be.  Light show or not, all that came from  the Elder Wand
was the usual killing curse, acting as it usually does. Naturally
Voldemort would be disappointed when he came to think about it. 

Travers thinks a new wand needs a bit of a break-in period, which
could explain why Voldemort didn't become disillusioned sooner.

Carol:
. Nor did his thoughts turn to the wand at all; he thought
> only of the Horcruxes and thwarting Harry.

Pippin:
And Harry must know all of Voldemort's relevant thoughts? Then there
would have been no need to hunt for the Hogwarts horcrux. Voldemort
obviously knew what it was and where it was hidden but as Snape said,
most minds are multi-layered and complex. It's not like reading
information off a page, and it doesn't work the way Muggles think it
would. 

Carol:
I think it serves him well until Harry's self-sacrifice creates
> a love magic that defeats it *and* it discovers that LV is its true
> master.

Pippin:
(assuming you meant to type "Harry is its true master")

LV was never its  master, because he never understood what Grindelwald
understood, that you have to defeat the previous master. Voldemort
thinks that killing is enough. 

I know you don't want to  believe that Snape had to die. But he did,
for thematic as well as plot-related reasons. I didn't see it myself,
until I realized the significance of using "levicorpus" to retrieve
the cup. Snape's aid and instruction was vital in the destruction of
each of the horcruxes. 

 Snape brought Harry the sword that destroyed the locket, Snape's
spell retrieved the cup, Snape stationed the Carrows in Ravenclaw
Tower,  Snape's memories showed that Dumbledore was much more certain
about Nagini than it seemed when he spoke to Harry, and of course
"expelliarmus" was the final destruction of Voldemort.

Snape was not Harry's antagonist. He was a *mentor* -- and we all know
(sniff!) what happens to them.

Pippin