What defines a Dark Object? What Defines a Light Object? To me, a story of that object is what defines an object to be located in Knockturn or Diagon Alley. If the spell harms a person, it is seen as a dark spell. When the necklace that was meant to be for Albus harmed the student, it is an object of Dark Arts. Stories also define witches and wizards to be either dark or light along with the views or accepting of that story. This defined Salazar to be bad. Salazar Slytherin is a dark wizard who could speak Parstletounge so he is bad because talking to snakes "is bad even in the wizarding world" as Hermionie said. But what if there was more to Salazar? What if he did the things he did because he wanted to protect Wizardkind like a father to his sons and daughters? What if he did something far better and no one knew? No one but his wand.
A wand learns from its owner, a bond is created eternally in knowing what makes the owner who he or she is. This comes of great importance to a tree in question that bore out of Salazar's wand when buried.
"You talk about wands like they’ve got feelings... like they can think for themselves."
The wand knows every spell he or she casts, knows which spell he or she uses above all else, and could very well know the personality of that person. The wand knows all the good Slytherin has done. When Isolt took it with her, the wand did not respond to her as the owner or new owner, but it was waiting for Gormlaith Gaunt to retrieve it back. That is why the wand fell asleep after being coaxed with after Gormlaith talked to it, it was still hers, still favored her. But it wasn't till after Isolt defeated Gormalith did she win the wand. But she buried it because it was made by the dark wizard so it also is a dark wand.
Much like how she Isolt wanted a new start, after Gormlaith's death, the wand also wanted the same. The wand showed the light that was unknown to others of Salazar himself. Or so we think. I think it was responding to Isolt's nature as Slytherin because it favors her, it changed owners, accepted ISolt.
The wood of the wand bloomed into the tree, its bark is the wood of the wand, Snakewood. Also known as Schlangenholz of the Brosimum family native to America's tropical lands; the flowers bloomed with medicinal herbs too, what I think, is Isolt's care for others. But with the wood is a burning question: The tree bore out of a wand which has a core of an animal, so would it affect the tree?
The manufacture of the wand is compatible with two separate things being a tree and an animal part and then the two complement one another in exchange for each other's power and personality. A wandmaker would have to keep combining the two every time he or she wants a wand made. This comes to one of the interesting aspects of the tree. It is a new breed of the wand. A tree -wand. The wand is the root of the tree which means that the energy of the core is always circulating throughout the branches and the stem of the tree. All trees have this living energy within that connects to all nature and surrounding trees like a web. That energy, or spirit, in this case, is the wand's core. In other words, it's the largest wand on the planet.
I would imagine it would be an interest to wandmakers to study and perhaps use. This also gives the tree a more sacred meaning which is why it is in a mural on the school in the video. In theory, one could use the tree as a wand already... however, if one breaks the branch, the energy from the wand underneath is cut and all the wandmakers will have is a piece of wood. Therefore, it is more prized as a tree on its own.
This comes to the core itself and the animal it is. The animal is not just an animal of use, it also defines the wand in a major way. A Wampus has the power of Legilimens, a Thunderbird is connected to Transfiguration or Transformation, a Horned Serpent is connected to Divination. This means, when used as the wand, the wand itself has that power, which is why Thunderbird core wands are favored to masters of Transfiguration. It shares its power with the user. Queenie is a Legilmen, her wand is inlaid with Mother-Of-Pearl; common with American Wandmaker Johannes Jonkers who uses Wampus hair. Did the wand affect her? Harry had a Pheonix which meant resurrection and he came back from the dead. So her wand gave her the power. A wand is capable of giving a gift to its owner. So what of the Salazar's? He has a basilisk. Could the tree have its power?
The Basilisk is a snake born from a chicken egg after the energy of the amphibian mixes with it. The Basilisk has the power of Petrification; when you look at its eyes, you are petrified. In the movie, it is shown to be stone, but it is more likely similar to Petrificus Totalus. Being it is a Basisk core that surges through the biology of the tree, could it also have the power of Petrifcation? Technically, it should be possible to respond to that power but as the wand favors ISolt and not Salazar anymore, it would reduce its use. But the idea that the tree can petrify students when walking across the field is a scary thought. Not only could it possibly have the power of Petrifaction, but given it is a snake core that surges through it, it could also respond to Parstletongue.
By the end of the story, it is assumed that the power died with Rionoch Sayre after her decision to not marry. But even Ron was able to learn it from Harry as he muttered in his sleep. So any student at Ilvermorny can learn it and even talk to the tree. At Hogwarts, the Whomping Willow has bulgy ends with spikes and will swing towards anyone who is disturbing it, as we know by "Prisoner of Azkaban", that it was keeping a secret being a way to the Shrinking Shack. It was planted by Remus Lupin to be a hidden location for the Marauders, a hangout away from the school. What secrets does the Snakewood Tree hold?
Isolt wanted it cut down before realizing its medical wonders. This comes to the Shades of Magic in the wizarding world. It is a tree that can treat injuries, yet it also has connections to snake language which is seen as bad, and petrification which is a dark art. There is a dark side that it may not be leaning towards by choice and even though it is by choice, it is still present within its nature. So, is the Snakewood Tree a dark tree or light? It could very well be a sentient object.
While Ollivnaders never used it, Gregorvitch apparently did use it with a Coral Core. Coral or Korrale is a marine invertebrate within the Anthozoa family. It is unknown if it is used as a wand in America, but I doubt it. PArt of the reason is because of another possible power due to the core.
The snake core in the ground also alludes to the American lore of Snake Mounds. These are hills, small hills that are throughout the land that appears to look like a snake. A piece of important information about these mounds is that the mounds have strange power of interference with electrical objects. When a plane flies over, the meters go haywire for instance. I think the tree also has this power of interference with muggle technology and so the school is undetectable and untraceable because the Tree projects a protective shield similar to Hogwart's spell, only more natural. I can conclude that Ilvermorny has a very sacred tree with a lot of power in both dark and light. It can Heal and protect eh school's location, yet can also respond to Parstletongue and have the power of Petrification. It is a sentient tree in the backyard of Ilvermorny. And as the essays suggest its power is through the land, the trees protection abilities also serves to protect the nation, becoming the heart of America.
Comments