Albus Dumbledore was dying due to a powerful and dark curse set by Lord Voldemort, which he incurred while destroying one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. This curse was spreading rapidly, leaving him with only a few weeks to live.
The Deadly Curse of the Gaunt Ring
Dumbledore's fatal condition stemmed from a curse he received after discovering the Marvolo Gaunt's Ring. Recognizing it as one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes, he attempted to destroy it. However, in a moment of temptation and weakness, he put the ring on his finger, drawn by the allure of the Resurrection Stone embedded within it. He had briefly forgotten, or perhaps underestimated, the potent and malevolent curses Voldemort had placed upon the ring to protect his fragmented soul.
Voldemort's Dark Magic
The curse, designed by Voldemort himself, was a form of dark magic that defied conventional magical healing. It began to rapidly spread through Dumbledore's body, gradually consuming his life force and causing irreparable damage to his hand and beyond. Professor Severus Snape was able to contain the curse to Dumbledore's hand, preventing its immediate spread, but he confirmed that the curse was ultimately terminal, giving Dumbledore only a matter of weeks to live.
Here are the key aspects of Dumbledore's curse:
- Origin: A powerful defensive curse placed by Lord Voldemort on the Marvolo Gaunt's Ring, which was a Horcrux.
- Activation: Dumbledore put the cursed ring on his finger.
- Nature: Irreversible, dark magic that slowly killed him.
- Prognosis: Severus Snape confirmed it was terminal, leaving Dumbledore only a short time to live.
The Elder Wand's Mastery Dilemma
Dumbledore's impending death had profound implications, particularly concerning the Elder Wand, of which he was the current master. He understood that the Elder Wand's allegiance transferred not necessarily by death, but by defeat.
His primary concern was that if he died directly from Voldemort's curse, the wand's mastery would transfer to Voldemort, recognizing him as the ultimate victor who had brought about Dumbledore's death. This would grant Voldemort true command over the most powerful wand in existence, something Dumbledore desperately wanted to prevent.
The scenarios Dumbledore considered regarding the Elder Wand's mastery included:
| Scenario | Elder Wand Allegiance Outcome |
|---|---|
| Dying by Voldemort's Curse | Wand's mastery would likely transfer to Voldemort, as he was the original author of the curse. |
| Dumbledore Orchestrates His Own Death | There was a possibility the wand might still interpret this as Voldemort's indirect victory or that it would simply lose its allegiance without a true master. |
| Dumbledore Is Disarmed Before Death | Mastery would transfer to the individual who disarmed him, regardless of who killed him later. |
To circumvent Voldemort gaining mastery of the Elder Wand, Dumbledore meticulously planned his own death with Severus Snape. His intention was for Snape to kill him, not out of malice, but as an act of mercy and a strategic move to "disarm" death itself. This unique arrangement aimed to prevent the wand's power from transferring cleanly to any new master, thus breaking its bloody lineage and ensuring Voldemort could never truly master it.
