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harry potter - How Was the Sword of Gryffindor Placed In the Pond in Deathly Hallows?


How was the Sword of Gryffindor placed into the pool in the Forest of Dean in Deathly Hallows?



‘So how did the sword get in that pool?’

‘Whoever cast the Patronus must have put it there.’

They both looked at the ornate silver sword, its rubied hilt glinting a little in the light from Hermione’s wand.

Deathly Hallows - page 304 - UK - chapter 19, The Silver Doe



I've read the chapters The Silver Doe (DH) and The Prince's Tale (HBP) many times over and I'm still not certain whether Snape placed the Sword of Gryffindor in the pool in the Forest of Dean, or if he somehow managed to have his doe Patronus place the sword there.


Was it Snape or his Patronus that actually placed the sword in the pool?



Answer




I think it is semi-safe to say that Snape was at least in, or near, the Forest of Dean when the sword was placed in the lake.



"And you still aren't going to tell me why it's so important to give Potter the sword?" said Snape as he swung a travelling cloak over his robes.
...
"Don't worry, Dumbledore," he said coolly. "I have a plan...."
[DH American soft-cover, pg 690]



Granted Snape could have been going anywhere with travelling robes, but likely he was going to the forest. So for the argument's sake, we've placed him "at the scene," so to speak, with a plan.


The lake was seemingly quite distant from the tent Harry and Hermonie were using. Additionally, just before the Silver Doe's appearance the forest seemed to take on an unnatural darkness. I believe it is not too much to assume that Snape, between the distance and a darkness spell, covered his actions while planting the sword and he then used his Patronus to lure Potter to it.




Several times he jerked upright, his neck aching because he had fallen asleep, slumped at an awkward angle against the side of the tent. The night reached such a depth of velvety blackness that he might have been suspended in limbo between Disapparition and Apparition. He had just help up a hand in front of his face to see whether he could make out his fingers when it happened.
...
Snow crunched beneath his feet, but the doe made no noise as she passed through the trees, for she was nothing but light. Deeper and deeper into the forest she led him, and Harry walked quickly, sure that when she stopped, she would allow him to approach her properly.
[DH American soft-cover, pgs 365-366]



So, for alternate reasons I agree with David's answer, that Snape was the one who placed the Sword of Gryffindor in the lake in the Forest of Dean.


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