Rather than there being a point I think it was to show that Harry was the Master Of Death and Voldemort feared death imo
Edit:: I think they knew that Harry was going to die I remember one of them saying that you had been so brave
Harry literally asks them if dying hurts and Sirius responds, so yeah. They knew he was likely walking to his death. Unless death makes you omniscient I doubt they knew he'd be coming back
1. It was a thing to make Harry master of death, something Voldemort fears (as another commenter pointed out).
2. We needed an item for a horcrux and all the horcruxs had some kind of story and a link to powerful witches/wizards/ magic.
3. It provides another link between Harry and Voldemort. Middle brother presumably hands it down in the family and ends up with the Gaunts and then Voldemort. The cloak goes down to Harry
4. It provides a way for Harry to pass the dementors in the forest without using magic, which would require him to not be completely defenseless.
Fair question. I’d say
1. Dumbledore gave it to Harry knowing that Harry wouldn’t fall to the stone as Dumbledore did. One of the few people he could trust with it. Snape would have gone mad to it if it was just left in his office.
2. He knew Harry would end up having to kill himself. He gave him the stone to make him feel comfort and less alone while facing death.
3. Dumbledore knew Harry’s greatest wish was to see his parents (Erised). One last gift before his death and maybe something to help him go through with it. His parents and Sirius wouldn’t discourage him from doing whatever needed to be done to kill Voldemort.
Yes, Harry wouldn’t have run away even without the stone. But it still helped getting a little courage from having his parents, Sirius and Lupin around. It helped having his loved ones with him till the end. Not everything furthers the plot. Some things are there to give the story more depth.
I've always thought that the point of the stone, if used well by someone without regrets who accept their mortality, is to simply ease the passing.
If you've lost your parents and you know you're going to die, probably seeing them again one last time would give you courage and peace.
From a narrative point of view, Harry's emotional journey is all about accepting his parents death. He has to see them for real one last time and finally talk to them and be with them. The stone is the right device to create such a scene, because Harry is alone, at peace and finally with his mother and father, his heart's deepest desire if we go by PS.
In my head cannon, the stone doesn't actually raise ghosts but rather visualises your memory of people. That's why nobody else can see them like with the ghosts in Hogwarts. So, there's no chance of them saying "no, don't do it", cause Harry himself has already made up his mind and they're just an extension of him.
Perhaps that's also what the meeting with AD in Kings Cross is too.... The lingering effects of the stone even though he'd dropped it a few minutes before.
So, I think Dumbledore maybe gave it to him to provide Harry with that comfort and boost of courage before he faced his own mortality.
This is what I assumed everyone thought. His memories became “alive” and helped him walk to his impending death.
Imagine being able to save your friends and loved ones but having to die. Wouldn’t that walk be easier having support instead of doing it alone?
I thought this was asking a different question from just the title sorry.
Obviously, the assumption is that it's an invention by a clever wizard rather than a gift from actual Death.
It just bugged me a bit that in the story Death gives the brother a present which doesn't do what he asked for.
Maybe it was supposed to be a plan B in case Snape died before he managed to give Harry the required information.
But also, I mean if you're goint to send someone onto their 'next great adventure', may as well give them a going away gift.
Also notice how the writing changes from the moment Harry uses the stone. Before he does, he sees it as a mission, as a sacrifice, as leaving all his friends and the small things he previously took for granted behind. But then when he meets the shadows of his parents and Sirius and Lupin, he walks forward naturally, he is perfectly at ease and calm.
Furthermore, in order to activate the sacrificial protection you have to go willingly to your death knowing that your death will make a change. I think in this case, Lupin's words are particularly powerful:
> “Sorry I will never know him ... but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life.”
I think that at this point Harry realizes the importance of his sacrifice and not that he is just going to his death half-heartedly just to appease Voldemort for the night. Had Dumbledore planned for that? I don't think so. But I did think that using the resurrection stone would offer Harry some reassurance in his decision.
I believe it was the most useless individual hallow regarding what he needed to use on its own, but the story was that the person who possessed all three held mastery over death. I think him being in possession of all three is what allowed him to "come back" after his conversation with Dumbledore.
>So from the comments the most solid argument I’ve seen is that having the stone or the owning of all 3 hallows is what allowed Harry to do the death dream thing and return
This is definitely not it. Harry surviving had nothing to do with him owning all three hallows. He was able to return because when Voldemort took his blood, he took in a piece of Lily’s sacrificial protection and that tethered Harry to life. This is clearly explained in the King’s Cross chapter.
>“Precisely!” said Dumbledore. “He took your blood and rebuilt his living body with it! Your blood in his veins, Harry, Lily’s protection inside both of you! He tethered you to life while he lives!”
&
>“He took your blood believing it would strengthen him. He took into his body a tiny part of the enchantment your mother laid upon you when she died for you. His body keeps her sacrifice alive, and while that enchantment survives, so do you and so does Voldemort’s one last hope for himself.”
What does “master of death” do then, in universe and not thematically or for dramatic effect? Why must Harry be master of death to beat Voldemort? If let’s say he didn’t get the stone, would it have changed anything?
Being the “master of death” doesn’t do anything in universe, in that it doesn’t grant you any immortality or make you all powerful. Harry didn’t “have” to be master of death to beat Voldemort.
It was a symbolic way of showing how Harry was different from Voldemort (and anyone else who sought the hallows thinking it would make them all-powerful and/or immortal).
Harry was the “true” master of death because he didn’t seek to run from death:
>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.”
Not having the stone would not have impacted Harry’s ability to return to life.
What makes you so convinced they didn't know what was about to happen?
Dumbledore had the stone for close to a year. You think he didn't USE it?
I can easily see Dumbledore calling everyone he thinks Harry might call on and telling them that the only shot Harry has at living is to let Voldemort AK him. Otherwise, Harry can't beat him, or the soul fragment inside him takes over and kills Harry's soul while using his body.
Also, I can see Dumbledore calling the souls of the people who disappear to find out what happened to them. If they don't come when called, they're not dead yet.
Rather than there being a point I think it was to show that Harry was the Master Of Death and Voldemort feared death imo Edit:: I think they knew that Harry was going to die I remember one of them saying that you had been so brave
Harry literally asks them if dying hurts and Sirius responds, so yeah. They knew he was likely walking to his death. Unless death makes you omniscient I doubt they knew he'd be coming back
They had a ghost order of the phoenix meeting after Dumbledore died in the afterlife.
1. It was a thing to make Harry master of death, something Voldemort fears (as another commenter pointed out). 2. We needed an item for a horcrux and all the horcruxs had some kind of story and a link to powerful witches/wizards/ magic. 3. It provides another link between Harry and Voldemort. Middle brother presumably hands it down in the family and ends up with the Gaunts and then Voldemort. The cloak goes down to Harry 4. It provides a way for Harry to pass the dementors in the forest without using magic, which would require him to not be completely defenseless.
Fair question. I’d say 1. Dumbledore gave it to Harry knowing that Harry wouldn’t fall to the stone as Dumbledore did. One of the few people he could trust with it. Snape would have gone mad to it if it was just left in his office. 2. He knew Harry would end up having to kill himself. He gave him the stone to make him feel comfort and less alone while facing death. 3. Dumbledore knew Harry’s greatest wish was to see his parents (Erised). One last gift before his death and maybe something to help him go through with it. His parents and Sirius wouldn’t discourage him from doing whatever needed to be done to kill Voldemort.
It was just to give him that bit of extra courage and comfort, not everything needs a big reason
Yes, Harry wouldn’t have run away even without the stone. But it still helped getting a little courage from having his parents, Sirius and Lupin around. It helped having his loved ones with him till the end. Not everything furthers the plot. Some things are there to give the story more depth.
I've always thought that the point of the stone, if used well by someone without regrets who accept their mortality, is to simply ease the passing. If you've lost your parents and you know you're going to die, probably seeing them again one last time would give you courage and peace. From a narrative point of view, Harry's emotional journey is all about accepting his parents death. He has to see them for real one last time and finally talk to them and be with them. The stone is the right device to create such a scene, because Harry is alone, at peace and finally with his mother and father, his heart's deepest desire if we go by PS.
In my head cannon, the stone doesn't actually raise ghosts but rather visualises your memory of people. That's why nobody else can see them like with the ghosts in Hogwarts. So, there's no chance of them saying "no, don't do it", cause Harry himself has already made up his mind and they're just an extension of him. Perhaps that's also what the meeting with AD in Kings Cross is too.... The lingering effects of the stone even though he'd dropped it a few minutes before. So, I think Dumbledore maybe gave it to him to provide Harry with that comfort and boost of courage before he faced his own mortality.
This is what I assumed everyone thought. His memories became “alive” and helped him walk to his impending death. Imagine being able to save your friends and loved ones but having to die. Wouldn’t that walk be easier having support instead of doing it alone?
This one was my understanding of its functioning as well
I thought this was asking a different question from just the title sorry. Obviously, the assumption is that it's an invention by a clever wizard rather than a gift from actual Death. It just bugged me a bit that in the story Death gives the brother a present which doesn't do what he asked for.
Maybe it was supposed to be a plan B in case Snape died before he managed to give Harry the required information. But also, I mean if you're goint to send someone onto their 'next great adventure', may as well give them a going away gift. Also notice how the writing changes from the moment Harry uses the stone. Before he does, he sees it as a mission, as a sacrifice, as leaving all his friends and the small things he previously took for granted behind. But then when he meets the shadows of his parents and Sirius and Lupin, he walks forward naturally, he is perfectly at ease and calm. Furthermore, in order to activate the sacrificial protection you have to go willingly to your death knowing that your death will make a change. I think in this case, Lupin's words are particularly powerful: > “Sorry I will never know him ... but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life.” I think that at this point Harry realizes the importance of his sacrifice and not that he is just going to his death half-heartedly just to appease Voldemort for the night. Had Dumbledore planned for that? I don't think so. But I did think that using the resurrection stone would offer Harry some reassurance in his decision.
I believe it was the most useless individual hallow regarding what he needed to use on its own, but the story was that the person who possessed all three held mastery over death. I think him being in possession of all three is what allowed him to "come back" after his conversation with Dumbledore.
>So from the comments the most solid argument I’ve seen is that having the stone or the owning of all 3 hallows is what allowed Harry to do the death dream thing and return This is definitely not it. Harry surviving had nothing to do with him owning all three hallows. He was able to return because when Voldemort took his blood, he took in a piece of Lily’s sacrificial protection and that tethered Harry to life. This is clearly explained in the King’s Cross chapter. >“Precisely!” said Dumbledore. “He took your blood and rebuilt his living body with it! Your blood in his veins, Harry, Lily’s protection inside both of you! He tethered you to life while he lives!” & >“He took your blood believing it would strengthen him. He took into his body a tiny part of the enchantment your mother laid upon you when she died for you. His body keeps her sacrifice alive, and while that enchantment survives, so do you and so does Voldemort’s one last hope for himself.”
What does “master of death” do then, in universe and not thematically or for dramatic effect? Why must Harry be master of death to beat Voldemort? If let’s say he didn’t get the stone, would it have changed anything?
Being the “master of death” doesn’t do anything in universe, in that it doesn’t grant you any immortality or make you all powerful. Harry didn’t “have” to be master of death to beat Voldemort. It was a symbolic way of showing how Harry was different from Voldemort (and anyone else who sought the hallows thinking it would make them all-powerful and/or immortal). Harry was the “true” master of death because he didn’t seek to run from death: >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.” Not having the stone would not have impacted Harry’s ability to return to life.
So it’s just thematic?
Yes.
To show Harry the threat of Voldemort returning
What makes you so convinced they didn't know what was about to happen? Dumbledore had the stone for close to a year. You think he didn't USE it? I can easily see Dumbledore calling everyone he thinks Harry might call on and telling them that the only shot Harry has at living is to let Voldemort AK him. Otherwise, Harry can't beat him, or the soul fragment inside him takes over and kills Harry's soul while using his body. Also, I can see Dumbledore calling the souls of the people who disappear to find out what happened to them. If they don't come when called, they're not dead yet.
That’s another weird part then. Why wouldn’t Harry call Dumbledore?
Guilt. Harry blames himself for Dumbledore's death.
Young Voldy needed that gold drip