Dual-core wands? - Intuitive Sentience

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 181563

Carol:
Severus's wand didn't
> switch loyalties to Sirius or James after they bullied him because 
he
> got it back. Had they taken it after Disarming him, it might have 
been
> another matter. But we don't know for sure. If it had developed an
> affinity with Severus, merely capturing it from him might not have
> been enough. I don't think that the wand *automatically* switches
> loyalty. I think it has the *choice* of accepting a new master.

Magpie:
It seemed to me a lot more straightforward. DH completely turned on 
the idea that if you defeat a Wizard and take his wand, you're the 
master. Steve said wands don't make "moral judgments" and I wasn't 
sure if he was referring to my post. I wouldn't call it a moral 
judgment in the wand's "brain" but it does seem to have an instinct 
for siding with the winner. If James had taken Snape's wand after 
disarming sure I think it would have switched allegiances 
absolutely, as would Bellatrix's if won by Harry. As should every 
single wand in every DA battle. I guess if the original Wizards 
scrambles to pick it up again it's like they've won it back to some 
extent. (Did Harry drop his wand in GoF? If Barty picked his pocket 
he would have become the Master of Harry's wand, I assume.)

I don't think JKR would ever say that brute strength is the most 
important quality a person could have by any means, but it doesn't 
surprise me that it made sense to her to have her wands switch 
masters and bow to their "winner" (especially when Harry is so good 
at winning) when another author might not have gone for that. WE're 
told that in general, if you beat somebody and take their wand, its 
allegience will change. Years of experience working with each other 
is trumped by dazzling the wand by winning it. I think that wipes 
out any claims that anybody's wand wouldn't bend it's will to Harry 
if he won it. The wand isn't an extension of the owner, it's a 
fickle object that reflected its owner in Books 1-6 more than it did 
in Book 7. It's not human and never has been, but its instincts as 
an object are roused by strength.

-m