deathtocapslock | Deathly Hallows Chapter 24 (Reply)

The Wandmaker

This chapter is named for Mr. Ollivander. Don’t ask me why. He’s the least important part of it.

As we recall, Dobby is dead. The first four pages of the chapter cover the rest of the night, as Harry, in shock and grief, digs a grave for the brave little elf. This is one of the best-written parts of the entire book. I have very few nits to pick—and those are mostly observations.

One is that Harry discovers that the key to Occlumency is grief. While he is grieving for Dobby, the pain in his scar is barely a prickle. Fanfic writers rejoice! Emo!Snape and Emo!Draco are canon-supported!

According to the interviews, though, Draco’s talent at Occlumency comes from his ability to “compartmentalize,” which sounds like a bad thing. So, once again, we see that when Harry is good at something, it signals the awesomeness of his soul; when a Slytherin is good at the same thing, it shows how corrupt and heartless they are.

Because he’s so successful at Occlumency, Harry is able to note without emotion that Voldemort is now at Malfoy Manor and punishing those they left behind. Great. It’s not enough that the Malfoys are now down to a total of one wand, and that the chandelier probably put one of Draco’s eyes out, now they’re all being punished. Being a Malfoy really sucks.

Harry starts processing all the things he’s learned from the latest adventure, including his idea about who Voldemort killed in the black fortress. JKR isn’t telling who it is yet. But since Harry is now calling the fortress “Nurmengard,” it’s pretty obviously Grindelwald.

Harry is intrigued that Dumbledore had foreseen the slight hesitation that Wormtail felt when strangling Harry. What amazing insight into Wormtail’s psyche!

Okay, Harry. That wasn’t exactly what Dumbledore said to you. What he said was this: “When one wizard saves another wizard’s life, it creates a certain bond between them… and I’m much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter…. This is magic at its deepest, most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me… the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew’s life.”

So, what happened again? Wormtail hesitated for the smallest, tiniest bit of time when he was trying to strangle Harry—and he got killed. Balance that against Voldemort never having come back in the first place. And all Wormtail really did was to hesitate about something he wasn’t supposed to do anyway, since Voldemort told everyone not to kill Harry. So, he was actually following Voldemort’s orders when he hesitated.

Ron and Dean come out to join Harry in digging the grave. I find it rather sad that Harry has a retort ready in case they tease him about digging the grave without magic. These are his friends and yet he assumes that they are going to mock him.

As they finish, the others (except Ollivander and Griphook) come outside. Fleur is wearing a large white apron with a bottle of Skele-gro in one pocket. So… Fleur has her own nurse outfit. Feel free to speculate about how that impacts Bill's sex life.

Hermione arrives, “pale and unsteady on her feet.” She’s also wearing a bathrobe, which tells me she must have been through a lot of torture. Gryffindors only disrobe for really bad injuries.

Okay, so I didn’t cry when Dobby died, but I did get misty when Luna delivered that eulogy. I have my retort ready in case anyone feels like mocking me.

And I like the epitaph that Harry comes up with, “Here Lies Dobby, a Free Elf.” I am a bit bugged that Harry feels the need to compare his wandwork to Hermione’s when he’s writing it. I’m sure that it's supposed to be poignant, but it really just emphasizes that Harry hasn’t written a thing since that period in third year when Hermione was ostracized and couldn’t do his homework.

Then Harry goes into the cottage, his mind “full of those things that had come to him in the grave, ideas that had taken shape in the darkness, ideas both fascinating and terrible.”

I wonder what those fascinating and terrible ideas are. We never do find out.

As Harry comes into the cottage, Bill is telling everyone that the other Weasleys have just gone into hiding. When Harry asks about their protection, Bill tells him that they are under a Fidelius Charm and that Arthur is the Secret-Keeper for the main Weasley family, while Bill is the Secret-Keeper for himself and Fleur.

I don’t need to point out that, if people can be their own Secret-Keepers, then James never needed to trust Dumbledore, Sirius, or Peter, right?

Or that, if Arthur is the Secret-Keeper for the fact that his family is hiding at Aunt Muriel’s, then Bill shouldn’t be able to tell Harry in the first place?

Bill mentions moving Ollivander and Griphook to Aunt Muriel’s in about an hour, but Harry interrupts, his voice filled with authority. They can’t go until Harry speaks with them. It’s very urgent. Harry must speak with them—as soon as he’s washed his hands.

So, Harry goes to wash up and watch the symbolic dawn break over the sea. He remembers that blue eye peering at him through the mirror and muses about Dumbledore’s uncanny ability to foresee things like Ron running out on the quest and Wormtail’s slight hesitation. This must mean that Dumbledore understood Harry and knew that Harry would need time to realize he shouldn’t run after Hallows—and so made the Hallows Quest as slow and laborious as possible to give Harry time to work that out.

You know, it isn’t time that pushes Harry into the decision he’s about it make. It’s the death of an elf that does it. Harry obsessed for three months over the Hallows. If Dobby hadn’t died, he’d have been obsessing for the next ten years about it. (All without actually looking for them.)

And he never would have obsessed about them at all if Dumbledore hadn’t left a bunch of cryptic clues. For Hermione to puzzle over, because Harry would never have noticed them in the first place. Hehe. If Dumbledore had left that book of fairy tales for Harry, Harry would just have fretted that Dumbledore never told him the stories in person.

Harry has a sudden vision of Voldemort approaching “a building he knew extremely well.” This is Hogwarts, and why JKR can’t just say that I don’t know.

Bill asks what’s going on and Harry tells him that he can’t tell him, because he’s on a secret mission for Dumbledore. Bill then stares at Harry with his scarred face “hard to read.” I can read his expression from here, Harry. It’s saying, “God, but Harry Potter is an asshole.”

And this is the moment when Harry makes the momentous decision. Horcruxes or Hallows? Horcruxes or Hallows? Horcruxes or Hallows….!

What? You’re not feeling the suspense? Yeah, me neither.

So, anyway. Harry chooses Horcruxes by asking to speak to Griphook first. This is so that Griphook can help them break into Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault at Gringott’s, but JKR takes her own sweet time to tell us that.

The Trio sets up in the master bedroom, and Bill carries in Griphook, who is regrowing his leg bones for some unexplained reason. Then Bill leaves as Harry contemplates how swarthy, odd-looking, and dirty Griphook is. There’s a long moment as Harry considers how to go forward with what promises to be a difficult negotiation with this strange creature. It’s vitally important that Harry not make any mistakes….

Hey, you know what would come in handy right about now? Some kind of goblin expert. Someone who has been working with goblins for a few years. Maybe even worked at Gringott’s. Someone like that guy who you just sent out of the room…

Griphook reminds Harry that they met when Harry first visited his own vault, notes that Harry is famous even among the goblins, and remarks on Harry burying Dobby as if that shows… something. I guess he’s trying to say that he’s impressed by Harry’s huge loving heart.

Was that so unusual? We know that the Blacks cut off the heads of their elves and stuffed them, but that seemed to be a family tradition. Sort of like people who stuff their dead cats and dogs. I wonder what the usual custom is. Dumping their bodies out on a compost heap?

Harry isn’t as unusual as Griphook seems to think. Ron and Dean were out there digging the grave, too. And Dean was in pretty bad shape. But, since it’s Harry, he’s given extra heart points for feeling basically the same way anyone would.

By the way, Griphook says ,“You buried the elf” in a “strangely rancorous” way. Since he’s actually complimenting Harry, I can’t help wondering if JKR knows what the word “rancorous” means.

Griphook then gives Harry some heart points for rescuing him from the Malfoys. Why is Griphook is finding this so incredibly, amazingly generous on Harry’s part when he’s been spending months with Dean Thomas? Don’t we imagine that Griphook and Dean saved each other’s lives a dozen times in that period? Or was Dean spending all that time kicking Griphook and cheating him out of bits of salmon?

Come to think of it, wouldn’t it have been handy to bring Dean into this discussion? If anyone were going to know how to persuade Griphook to break into a bank vault, it should be Dean. As it’s not like Dean would be hanging around Voldemort, spilling secrets.

The stupid. It hurts.

Anyway, Harry tries to persuade Griphook which leads to an argument about goblin rights and blah, blah, blah… I think this could be interesting at another time and place, but right now, it’s like sitting through a Professor Binns lecture.

Griphook does mention that, under Voldemort’s rule, things are worse for goblins and elves than before. This gives Hermione the opportunity to ascend her S.P.E.W. soapbox, talk about her own “Mudblood” status and show off the cut Bellatrix gave her (which is nicely hidden by her bathrobe collar—no ugly scars for Hermione)!

Ron fidgets uncomfortably as Hermione declares that “we’ve” wanted elves to be freed for years. I suppose this is to show that Ron isn’t fully in the pro-elf camp yet, but I choose to think it’s because Hermione is sounding like a PETA-nut right now. Or that he’s aware that, although she’s wanted elves to be free, that doesn’t extend to the elf her friend Harry owns.

The discussion ends inconclusively. Griphook agrees to consider helping them. As they go, Harry takes the Sword of Gryffindor from Griphook and carries it away. This establishes his “ownership” of the Sword (although, it really belongs to Ron at this point, doesn’t it?) This action also causes a flash of resentment in Griphook’s eyes. Way to persuade the goblin, Harry.

Hermione, in a whisper, asks if Harry thinks that a Horcrux is in Bellatrix’s vault. Harry does, but Ron reminds us that Voldemort is supposed to be hiding his Horcruxes in personally significant places. This allows Harry to retcon that Voldemort was impressed by Gringott’s, yet didn’t have his own vault, so he’d want to put one into someone’s vault.

Nice try, JKR. But that whole “significant places” argument just ends up looking silly. Here are the places he hid his Horcruxes: an abandonned shack; Lucius Malfoy’s bookshelf; Bellatrix Lestrange’s bank vault; a cave he visited once or twice; a room filled with junk; Bathilda Bagshot’s body.

I’m really not seeing a pattern.

So, now Harry goes to talk to Mr. Ollivander about wands. He first asks if Ollivander can repair his holly wand, but Ollivander confirms that it’s impossible “by any means that I know of.”

Harry then has Ollivander identify the wands that they took from the Malfoys. Ollivander recognizes Bellatrix and Draco’s wands, but notes that, since they were taken by force, they may no longer belong to their original owners.

Wand allegiance, Ollivander explains, is a complex thing. The wand chooses the wizard, but, if the wand is taken by force, it may switch allegiance to the more aggressive wizard. So, Harry is now Master of Draco’s domain, while Ron is Master of Peter’s peter.

Ollivander also confirms that Voldemort is searching for the Elder Wand—since Harry’s extra-special holly wand had powers over Voldemort’s yew wand (because of the twin cores) and any other wand Voldemort carries (because it’s just that special).

Harry notes that Voldemort will soon know that Harry’s wand is broken, because, when the Death Eaters use Priori Incantatem on Hermione’s wand, they’ll be able to see that Hermione’s wand broke the holly wand. Um, yeah. But first, they’ll have to Priori Incantatem through a million casts of bluebell flames. It’s been three months, remember?

Ollivander says that Voldmort believes the Elder Wand will make him invulnerable, and admits that he will be “formidable” with it, although he must then always fear an attack. Which makes Voldemort sound like he’ll be pretty much the way he is now.

Harry then confirms that Ollivander led Voldemort tp Gregorovitch, and that Ollivander has no knowledge of the Deathly Hallows or their connection to the wand.

Harry goes out into the garden with Ron and Hermione and explains that Gregorovitch had the Elder Wand, then the wand was stolen by Grindelwald, and that Dumbledore won the wand from Grindelwald in their famous duel.

As he is explaining it, he’s getting visions of Voldemort at Hogwarts. Ron urges Harry to hurry to Hogwarts—to get the wand before Voldemort can. But Harry tells him that Dumbledore wanted Harry to concentrate on the Horcruxes instead.

Okay. If that’s the case—and I believe that it is—then there was absolutely no reason for Dumbledore to let Harry know about the Deathly Hallows quest at all. Unless the whole point of this is to have Harry make the choice to go after the Horcruxes.

Like that means something. It’s still just Harry doing what Dumbledore told him to do in the first place.

And, really, would it have killed Dumbledore to keep Voldemort from getting the wand at all by having it snapped after his death? All this nonsense could have been prevented.

But he didn’t, and so now Harry “becomes” Voldemort as the Dark Lord dismisses Snape, breaks open Dumbledore’s tomb, and takes the wand from the old man’s hand. As Voldemort grasps the wand, a shower of red sparks flies from its tip, which would seem to indicate that the wand isn’t waiting for Draco after all, but quite happy to be owned by Voldemort.

Fan Service:
Yes! We all knew that Bellatrix had one of the Horcruxes!
Fascinating new facts about elf rights and goblin resentments!

Fan Slappage:
Hey, guess what. Wand ownership is totally complicated and messed up. By all rights, Lupin ought to possess all the Trio’s wands from when he disarmed them back in PoA. Or Sirius, since he disarmed them a few minutes earlier. Oh, what the hell. It’s magic.

DVD Extras:
INT: NIGHT – HEADMASTER’S OFFICE, HOGWARTS

Snape sits in the Headmaster’s chair, pouring tea for Lord Voldemort. All the portraits in the office (including the one of Dumbledore), appear to be sleeping.

SNAPE
Did you find what you were looking for, my Lord?

VOLDEMORT
Oh yes. (sipping at his cup) This is very nice. Darjeeling?

SNAPE
Special blend.

Voldemort leans his head back, sighing.

VOLDEMORT
It’s been such a trying weekend. I had to punish the Malfoys. Did you know that they had Harry Potter and they allowed him to escape?

SNAPE
Did they?

VOLDEMORT
What happened to Lucius? He used to be so evil. Now he’s… he’s lost his spark, Severus.

Snape makes sympathetic noises as he offers a plate of biscuits.

VOLDEMORT
And that boy of his! Useless! Is this the future of the Death Eaters? What is the point? What is the point of taking over the world if you’re left with an army of morons?

SNAPE
Now, now.

VOLDEMORT
You’re the only one worth a damn. Which reminds me…

Snape raises an eyebrow.

VOLDEMORT (cont’d)
We never really talked about my killing that Mudblood girl you liked.

SNAPE
That was years ago. I never think about it any more.

VOLDEMORT
I know, but I hate to see you waste your youth like this. Are you dating anyone?

SNAPE
(coughing)
There’s… uh… there’s not much opportunity, my Lord. With my responsibilities.

VOLDEMORT
But there’s a whole castle full of girls.

SNAPE
I can’t date my students. That would be inappropriate.

VOLDEMORT
Oh, really? Hmm. What about the teachers? There was one who was quite good-looking. What was her name? Burbage?

SNAPE
That was the one you killed. Remember?

VOLDEMORT
Oh, that’s right. I keep doing that, don’t I? (eagerly) I think Mulciber has a sister. Good personality, I hear.

SNAPE
(under his breath)
Kill me now.

VOLDEMORT
What? What was that?

SNAPE
Thrilling. I said, “Thrilling.”

VOLDEMORT
Well, we’ll find someone. Perhaps I’ll have another biscuit.

Snape sighs and hands him the plate.

SNAPE
Help yourself, my Lord.

FADE OUT