More thoughts on the Elder Wand subplot - Owner?

[Beatrice23]

No: HPFGUIDX 187398

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kempermentor" <iam.kemper at ...> wrote:
>
> > jkoney:
> > But we know that Dumbledore and Voldemort both trusted Snape. Voldemort didn't kill Snape because he didn't trust him, but because he thought Snape was the master of the Elder wand.
> > 
> > Obviously one of them was wrong about Snape.
> > 
> > His position as a spy automatically makes you question his word. Especially since he once worked for Voldemort. 
> > 
> > So I agree with Eggplant that I would much rather trust Harry than Snape.
> 
> Kemper now:
> So you would trust Harry more than Snape because Snape was a spy?  
> Snape regretted his actions with the Dark Arts.  
> 
> We haven't seen that from Harry who became a little more comfortable, a little more cozy with the Cruciatus curse.  To quote The Emperor: [Luke]Give in to your anger, with each passing moment you make yourself more my [the Dark Side's] servant.
> 
> My trust goes to Snape.
> 
> Kemper
>
Beatrice:  These are both good points. I particularly like the Star Wars parallel.  I maybe wrong, but it seems that Dumbledore didn't really trust anyone with the Elder wand. It doesn't seem that DD told Snape or Harry of the significance of his wand, which implies that he didn't trust either of them.  Although, one could argue that he does leave the story of the Deathly Hollows for the trio hoping that it will give them the information that they need, but they won't act on that information.

The Elder wand for me is really about temptation.  Using it to kill LV would be the temptation for Snape and Harry, but DD doesn't want to damage their souls any more than he wants Draco to damage his.  The fear of the Elder wand is not that Harry or Snape will be corrupted by the wand and start killing people like LV, the fear is that if they possess the wand it will lead others to covet the wand and leave them open to countless attacks by others who are blinded by their own desire for power.  In DD view, anyone who desires power is not fit to wield it, because power corrupts.  Take LV's comments at the end of SS/PS  (I am paraphrasing here) There is no good or evil.  Only power and those too weak to seek it... While LV is not just corrupted by power, his need for power and control are symptoms of something much worse.

Harry is disturbed by the desire that he sees in Ron and Hermione's eyes.  Not that Ron and Hermione would seek to overthrow Harry, but Harry knows that if even they are envious and covet the wand imagine the thousands or millions of others who are less scrupulous. If Harry were to keep the wand then he while possessing a fabulous wand would also leave him and the wand vulnerable to misuse.  I think the DD didn't intend anyone to be the master of the wand.  Snape would not be master of the wand, because DD would simply choose not to defend himself against Snape's attack.  Perhaps the closest albeit most imperfect parallel to this is DA practice:  while students were stunning and disarming each other all over the place, no wands changed allegiance, because they are disarming each other by mutual consent.  This is in a way to DD's death at the hands of Snape and Harry's "death" at the hands of LV.  In both cases the "victims," are actually willing participants.