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I understand why Draco was the mast of the Elder Wand, not Snape, and then how Harry was the master, not Voldemort. But did't Voldemort kill Harry? Does that count? He was dead for a little bit, right, so does't that make Voldemort the true master of the Elder Wand?

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    I really like this question. It's a proper thinker.
    – Valorum
    Jan 26, 2016 at 23:07
  • Thank you, @Richard. I try to think a lot, it's a good exercise for the brain
    – CHEESE
    Jan 26, 2016 at 23:11
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    Voldermort didn't kill harry though. What he killed was the fragment of his own soul which was bound to Harry. From my understanding Harry was, at best, unconscious; at worst in a short coma
    – gabe3886
    Jan 27, 2016 at 14:28
  • Also, Harry wasn't defeated; merely, upgraded.
    – Möoz
    May 13, 2020 at 2:34

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No. The text explicitly states (with the authority of the omniscient narrator) that Voldemort never had mastery of the Elder Wand. It was merely in his possession for a while:

Harry saw Voldemort’s green jet meet his own spell, saw the Elder Wand fly high, dark against the sunrise, spinning across the enchanted ceiling like the head of Nagini, spinning through the air towards the master it would not kill, who had come to take full possession of it at last. And Harry, with the unerring skill of the Seeker, caught the wand in his free hand as Voldemort fell backwards, arms splayed, the slit pupils of the scarlet eyes rolling upwards.

As to why he didn't become the master, the answer is that Voldemort has confused a willingness to kill with true power.

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  • I think the question is more in a way why Voldemort wasn't its master than was he.
    – Vanja Vasiljevic
    Jan 26, 2016 at 23:02
  • @VanjaVasiljevic - Answered in another question - You don't become the Master of the Elder wand by killing the bearer, you win its allegiance by demonstrating strength. For all his aggression and psychopathic rage, Voldemort is actually terrified all the time (of his own death).
    – Valorum
    Jan 26, 2016 at 23:05
  • I know that you do not need to kill previous owner. Malfoy is scared all the time as well. I believe that Voldemort was never owner of Eldar wand because he did not accept death as Dumbledore said to Harry "You are the true master of death, because the true master does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying"
    – Vanja Vasiljevic
    Jan 26, 2016 at 23:16
  • @VanjaVasiljevic - Malfoy is weak, but he demonstrates strength when he stands up to Dumbledore (who's practically dead at the time). Ultimately he's bested in schoolyard fight, so clearly the Elder Wand had views on Draco's suitability.
    – Valorum
    Jan 26, 2016 at 23:19
  • I wouldn't want to discus is ferret suitable or not. For the love of god he cried half of 6th book. Still in my opinion Voldemort is no master of death because he never accepted it.
    – Vanja Vasiljevic
    Jan 26, 2016 at 23:25
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First to gain Elder Wand's allegiance you need t defeat previous owner in battle. Harry and Voldemort did not battle since Harry willingly went to die.

Also Elder Wand's core is the tail hair of a Thestral. As described on wiki a Thestral tail hair as a potent yet tricky substance to master that can only be handled by a witch or wizard who is capable of accepting death, since only by such can it be seen.

Voldemort is scared of death and does not accept it so he couldn't be master of death.

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