Why Can't Goblins or Elves Carry Wands? - Harry Potter Explained

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we’re going to be discussing Goblins AND Elves in relation to wand ownership. Now, it should come as no surprise when I tell you that Goblins haven’t been treated well over the course of wizarding history.

Pure bloods outright hated them, and in the past even the most progressive members of the wizarding world felt a general mistrust for the tiny, monstrous humanoid-creatures.

And if we look back at Wizarding history, there appears to have been conflict after conflict between wizards and goblins, with the goblins rebelling on numerous occasions.

In the present day, I think it’s safe to say that tensions have lowered, but that things certainly have a long way to go. These days, Goblins are in charge of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, overseeing all of the responsibilities associated with currency in the Wizarding World. And in this more modern era, it would appear that the more progressive members of wizarding society have (almost) started to treat them as equals.

But still, there remain obvious imbalances in the wizarding world that inhibit Goblins. They have some rights now, which is a lot more than can be said of the Goblins from the 1600s, but they’re still excluded from doing basic things- things like CARRYING A WAND.

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[barbiquearea]

I think after the first or second Goblin Rebellions, the Ministry likely ordered the destruction of all magically enchanted weapons and armor, with the only exception being the Sword of Gryffindor as it is a Hogwarts heirloom. Destroying these weapons while also denying goblins the right to use wands made it a lot harder for discontent goblins to start another rebellion. It may also explain why we haven't seen any other magic swords throughout the books and movies.

[barbiquearea]

Besides denying goblins the right to own wands, I wonder if after the 17th century Goblin Rebellion was put down, the wizarding community at that time also added restrictions to what types of weapons and armor goblins are allowed to forge? At the very least I would expect wizarding authorities to keep goblin craftsman and smiths under heavy supervision, and restrict what the types of things they are allowed to make.

[RobertJones-uxnc]

Well, the one thing I have seen in the movies or read in the books is most of the Goblins and House Elves do not need wands to create magic anyway. They can create it from their fingertips and are more powerful than most of the wizards they are around.

[brianmartyn]

If only wizards and goblins would share their magical studies, and yes I do mean that Goblins have secrets they don’t teach the wizarding community. There was a brief conversation between Ron and a goblin (name escapes me) in book 7.

[jkrause]

I think you have it backwards. As I see it, Goblins had Wizardkind over a barrel, financially. They could have leveraged that to their advantage. Second, since Goblins had advanced metallurgical skills, what need had they of wands? What other magical skills could Goblins have developed?

Wand magic is inherently weak. You lose your wand through combat or breakage, misplace it, or neglect for a moment to have it about your person (as James Potter discovered to his detriment) you're sunk, unless you are imaginative enough to create magic without a wand.

[puedenllamarmeDarkStar]

wizards have a job in magic society and the world itself: to mantain the balance, keeping fantastic creatures into the limits of the wizarding world and controling sentient magical beings is part of it, and with all these Goblin rebelions across the history, wands are the only way the human wizards could actually fight and defeat them, if Goblins learn wandlore and obtain wands of their own, they could become more powerful and as such harder to contain, it's that simple
on the other side, I also understand Goblins, they want to become more powerful, they want to know their limits with extended resources, and they're repressed by those laws, they don't desire wands as objects or as a mean to be treated as equals by wizards, but as a mean to evolve in their own magical potential

[SeniPrime]

A spinoff about the mistreatment of Goblins would be a hit, more than Fantastic Beasts because of the relatability to many groups of people in the world. But that's just my opinion.

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[katholmes]

In many ways it equals how muggleborns are treated. The major reason why many wizarding nations outside Britain didn't join in fighting against Voldemort is that they actually agreed with his views on purebloods, not realizing he was a halfblood himself. The only part of Cursed Child I take as canon is Hermione becoming Minister of Magic and she did prove during her school days that treating magical creatures right is important to her. I have no doubt she'll continue to push for equality, but change in the wizarding world is slow. Even with Hermione championing their cause it won't happen quickly.

[HisShadow]

It's sort of ridiculous the think the Goblins were never able to learn Wand Lore. They have untold wealth at their disposal. They could bribe someone who knew of wand lore to teach them.

They would have to be someone in the past few centuries that would be willing to share for a price.

[childish]

Always found this bit of lore confusing. Elves and goblins seemed to be able to produce magic without wands. There’s also parts of the world where humans predominantly perform wandless magic. Why wouldn’t/couldn’t the goblins become insanely powerful and or proficient magic users without wands?

[GoldenPiney]

Wands can't be all that important. Elves poof in/out hogwarts, and no wizard can beat the goblin magic of gringotts. Why would they care about wands? They don't need them.

[WilliamWizer]

here is an interesting question. do goblins or elves need wands to do magic? we have seen house elves use magic, without a wand, that wizards can't do even using a wand. similar things can be said about goblins. despite not using wands, their magic is powerful.

[venkelos]

Then, I guess Professor Flitwick is enough steps removed from his Goblin ancestry that he is permitted to carry? It is a weird rule to have, and enforce, in my opinion, and it seems it should be so hard to maintain. I can't actually say I'm surprised that, even in the aftermath of Voldemort's coup, such practices would remain, I just don't get how it is done. Goblins have impressive craftspeople among their kind, and while Ollivander is an amazing wand maker, he's still only one wand maker, so one would think with their skills, and resources available, they might clandestinely craft, and distribute, their own wands. There are other examples of how unaware of events the Ministry can be, so stealth would work, for a time, and if it came to conflict, could the Wizarding community actually bear to lose them? Not to say one should have to leave their home, if they are unhappy with current circumstances, but one would think if worse came to worst, they could take the money, and move to another nation, which could crash the economy. I wonder, then, if goblins live in other lands, and if the restrictions there are the same? I won't pretend to be an expert in American magic, Illvermorny, or that stuff, but ibwonder if they would get the same treatment here, for instance?

[johnpaullaizure]

Idk as per your last sentence they created some of the most powerful weapons and armor, said things could be used against wizards since they had no restrictions correct? that means they did have a way to defend themselves, as well as plenty of them having access to witches, all of the hybrid human/goblin and /elf/goblin were all witches as mothers, they still could bang witches in some perverted "bestiality" . seems like they could protect themselves, and witches were not outside of the law for them to bang, so i don't feel too bad for them.

[mrfisther]

Just curious, where do you get this source material from?
Thanks.

[christianheichel]

If one of Professor Flitwick's ancestors was a goblin wouldn't that imply that goblins were somehow related to humans or were humans, just largely mutated from the population norm either due to spells, potions, or evolution? How else would a goblin and a human mate? I guess the same could be said for giants.

[TrueSighted]

A lot of ot is brought on by their own interaction with humanity. Trickery, guile, betrayal. Humans dont interact well with creatures they cant trust not to stab them in the back at the first oppertunity. So in some sense, its self propagated do to the interactions they have had with the wizarding community.

Granted taken to an extreme. They didn't get off on the best foot, and its hard to undo mistrust, once its set and taken hold.

[AntTonyLOLKID]

I wonder how Wizards became the dominant magical creature though... house elves can use wandless magic, but are, for some reason, rather be slaves, and goblins are cunning and good at forging weaponary and armour. Are goblins unable to do magic or very unlikely to do so, but have some sort of magical forging/smithing ability?

[coxstereightynine]

Off topic- I’m pretty sure goblins are based on Leprechauns, small ugly gold hoarding and very cunning not to mention magic!