Harry Potter - I have ??? - ONLY IF YOU FINISHED

okay, can someone please explain the whole wand thing to me? I'm completely lost?

How did Draco become the master if he never defeated Dumbledore? When Harry took Draco's wand, it was Draco's wand, not the Elder Wand.
How did Dumbledore defeat Grindelwald if Grindelwald had the Elder Wand?

It's driving me crazy!!!

Re: Harry Potter - I have ??? - ONLY IF YOU FINISHED

I am coming out of lurking mode only because I *think* I know the answers to these questions, so here goes. (I did reread that part of the book six times to figure it out, and I also went back to Book 6.)

Draco became the master of the Elder Wand because he disarmed Dumbledore. (If you look at the end of Book 6, he shouted Expelliarmus, and Dumbledore's wand soars over the battlements, I think it says.) Draco couldn't have defeated Dumbledore since he had the Elder Wand, so I guess the theory must be that in order to defeat the master of the wand, you must disarm him. (I'm assuming that's also how Dumbledore got the wand from Grindelwald.) As far as Harry getting the wand from Draco, it seems that what he said to Voldemort was true... the wand recognizes its master even if its master isn't using it (or something to that effect). So once Harry disarmed Draco, the wand must have recognized that its last master was disarmed and transferred its allegiances. I hope that makes sense...

Re: Harry Potter - I have ??? - ONLY IF YOU FINISHED

I thill ind the wand thing confusing, this si what all of my friends are talkinmg about as well.

It's not quite clear so it seems like a plot contrivance, but I guess there is a lot about wand magic we don't know

Re: Harry Potter - I have ??? - ONLY IF YOU FINISHED

This is how wikipedia explains it ***SPOILER***






As Harry and the Dark Lord confront one another, Harry knows that Voldemort does not command the Elder Wand. When Draco Malfoy disarmed Dumbledore on the Astronomy Tower, Draco unknowingly won the Elder Wand's allegiance; when Harry later captured Draco's own wand, he became the Elder Wand's new master. Voldemort casts Avada Kedavra as Harry simultaneously conjures Expelliarmus, but protecting its master, the Elder Wand rebounds Voldemort's curse, killing him.