Beedle the Bard SPOILERS The Warlock and his hairy heart

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 185178

> A_svirn:
> > I think the best part of the book is actually Dumbledore's
> > commentary, and the best part of the commentary is its sloppiness
> and patent insincerity. The latter is especially manifest in his
> notes on the Hollows and particularly on the Elder Wand. He writes
> something to the effect that The Wand awe-inspiring reputation is
> manifestly at> variance with its own history. And yet, we know that
> not only he craved it as a boy, but he actually claimed it after
> defeating Grindenwald – so he doesn't seem to have listend to his
own
> advice.
> > Or he thought it applies to anyone, but himself.
>
> Pippin:
> DD is supposed to be writing about two years before the events on
the
> tower, so he is simply writing with the benefit of hindsight.


a_svirn:
Do we know when he wrote it? I only read the book once, so I must
have missed it. However, in any case, I don't quite see how
Dumbledore had benefited of hindsight. He still owned and used the
Elder Wand in the end, didn't he? Even more telling, after stating
unequivocally that bringing back the dead is impossible and a very
bad idea besides (and even quoting some French sage in support of
this statement) he did try to use the Stone. (I believe there is a
quite pattern emerging here: he also deprived the Potters of the
Cloak while knowing full well that it might come in useful for anyone
who is hiding from Voldemort.)

> Pippin:
> JKR tells us this commentary was found
> among Dumbledore's papers left to the Hogwarts Archives. And
> therefore, IMO, it was intended to be read by none other than
> Dumbledore's chosen successor: Severus Snape!

a_svirn:
Quite apart the fact that there is no indication in canon that the
notes were intended for Snape, I really don't see of what possible
use they could have been for him. A case could be made that they
could be of *some* use for Harry, but only in the most general sense –
as a warning. Then again, such warning could only have confused the
poor boy even more, because it would have seemed to be at variance
with the whole Hermione-to-find-clues-about-the Hollows-which-might-
prove-useful idea. If Harry were to listen Dumbledore the
Commentator, he would have to tell Hermione to forget about the
Hollows because they are apparently no good to anyone (except for the
Cloak that Harry had in his possession already). And if that's what
Dumbledore wanted all along one wonders why he didn't bequeath the
notes as well. (Then again, in that case the two parts of the legacy
would have simply cancelled each other. Ah, well.)

> Pippin:
> You see the cleverness of it -- if the Elder Wand has lost its power
> as Dumbledore intended, then Snape will read the commentary for ToTB
> at face value. But if the Elder Wand still works, Snape will realize
> from the commentary what he has, its perils and how to deal with
it.

a_svirn:
And how exactly is that? Dumbledore didn't *deal* with it in any way.
He simply used the Wand until it betrayed him as it had done with
each and every of his predecessors.

> Pippin:
> Snape, of course, knows that Harry Potter has inherited from James a
> uniquely durable invisibility cloak and may also recognize from
> Dumbledore's closing comment what it was about the ring that proved
so
> tempting.
>

a_svirn:
Then again, Snape neither had the ring (Harry did), nor was tempted
by it. So it seems like a moot point where he is concerned.
a_svirn.