Wand Lore / Luna / Alchemy

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 181725

> a_svirn:
> Then what was the purpose of leaving the Elder Wand to Snape? None 
> that I can see.  I do, however see the risks such eventuality would 
> entail. 
> > 

Pippin:
What we haven't done is look at things in the context of everything that didn't
go as Dumbledore had planned. Death Eaters were not expected to get into
the castle, Draco was not expected to  find the nerve to attack Dumbledore
openly, Draco and his mother were to be taken into the protection of the
Order, Dumbledore didn't want Snape to leave Hogwarts, Dumbledore
didn't want his corpse dishonored. In other words, Dumbledore had every
reason to plan for his death at Snape's hands to take place in secret.

There would then be no question of Snape having to leave Hogwarts or
facing a vengeful Order. But in that case, Snape would have needed proof 
for Voldemort that Dumbledore was really dead -- especially if he'd done 
it by poison, which would have been easier and would have left no
evidence in Snape's wand. Dumbledore's wand would have been the proof.
Snape could have given the wand to Voldemort, and if you are right that 
the wand can be passed by gift, Voldemort would have had no reason to 
blame Snape if the wand did not work for him as he wished it to.

In this scenario, in which the wand can be passed by gift, Dumbledore 
did not want Harry to have a powerful wand to use against
Voldemort. Harry was not to win by battle but by sacrifice. He did want 
Harry to become master of death, but  by understanding the Hallows,  
not by using them to escape death.

Pippin