Wand allegiance _Re-Read the Story

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 187317

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jkoney65" <jkoney65 at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth@> wrote:
> >
> > Eggplant:
> > > 
> > > I don't see why, use it or not Harry is still Master of the Elder Wand and now everybody knows it. ...
> > 
> > Pippin:
> > How can it be both the normal human thing that Harry would keep the wand and use it, and yet not much of a stretch that Harry would put it back in Dumbledore's grave? 
> > 
> > Harry didn't announce that he wouldn't be using the Elder Wand. ...
> 
> jkoney:
> Most people would assume that Harry is either going to use the wand, which they will be able to see or he won't use it in which case (being Harry) he would have put it back in Dumbledore's tomb. 
> 
> ...

bboyminn:

Just my opinion, but I think we need to go back and read that passage, the duel between Harry and Tom, again.

Yes, the Elder Wand and its true ownership is discussed, and it makes perfect sense to us because we've been following along in the book. But the people in that hall have not been reading the book, they don't know the details that we know.

I suspect, that to most of them, the conversation between Harry and Voldemort made little sense. I'm sure they vaguely understood bits and pieces, but I'm not sure how much beyond that.

As to Harry announcing anything about the Elder Wand, I think not. Again, we the readers are privileged to what was said and done in Dumbledore's office, but other than Harry, Ron, and the portraits, no one knows what was said. 

Further, Harry is not explaining everything in detail to the portraits. Ron and Hermoine might know about the whereabouts of the Ring and the Cloak, but the portraits don't. He is very vague in what he says. He says the Ring is lost and he doesn't know where and he isn't going to look for it. Dumbledore may understand, but the portraits don't. Harry says he is keeping the cloak, to which Dumbledore agrees. Yet, the importance and context of the Cloak are never explained. Finally, Harry says he is going to put the wand back where it belongs, but he doesn't specifically say where that is.

So, the fate of the wand is completely unknown to anyone but Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore's portrait. 

As to those who heard Harry and Voldemort's conversation, I think it is a mystery to them. Certainly they heard words that they recognized - Elder Wand, Death Stick, owner, master, etc, but do they know specifically which wand they are talking about. Is it Voldemort's wand, is it Harry's wand? And how does it all fit in. I think most likely everyone who heard the conversation was thoroughly confused and I don't think Harry would ever make any effort to dispel their confusion. 

Yes, some may reach the right conclusion, but what you know and what you can prove, and who will believe you are all very different things. I think the Mystery of the Elder Wand is left at just that - a mystery. People can speculate, people can reach conclusions, people can know with certainty, but they can't prove it, and they can gather any worthwhile details. That is assuming any of them would want to pursue the mystery beyond Pub gossip. 

And dark wizard intent on getting the Elder Wand is going to have a very tough time sorting out that mystery. I'm sure with enough effort they could trace it to its more recent history, but that still doesn't solve the final mystery. Where is the wand? What was done with it? Was it destroyed? Was it stored? If so where? 

I think to see this clearly, you have to separate yourself from it as a reader. You have to put yourself in the place of various people involved. We know a lot. We have all the pieces of the puzzle laid out before us. But, the people IN THE STORY don't have even remotely that level of detail or that level of certainty. It is a confusing mystery to them.

They can never really truly figure it out, though I'm sure it will keep the tea shops and pubs buzzing for years to come.

Steve/bboyminn