An Instaflint?

[snorkackcatcher]

When looking up a scene in DH just now, I was struck by one of those oddities in which JKR seems to say something and then immediately contradict herself -- an Instaflint, if you will. It's ch24, The Wandmaker, when Harry has just finished asking Ollivander about the Elder Wand; he then asks him about the Hallows:

'Mr Ollivander, one last thing, and then we'll let you get some rest. What do you know about the Deathly Hallows?'

'The -- the what?' asked the wandmaker, looking utterly bewildered.

'The Deathly Hallows.'

'I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. Is this still something to do with wands?'

Harry looked into the sunken face and believed that Ollivander was not acting. He did not know about the Hallows.

Fine. Except that Ollivander has just told Harry he's studied the history of the Elder Wand carefully, and even referred to it as the Deathstick. This particular Tale of Beedle the Bard seems to be a well-known one. How can it be that Ollivander has never in his long life heard of it or made the connection?

As I say, an Instaflint. I can see why it might be written that way -- probably to avoid giving the reader a red herring, by immediately putting a damper on further speculation about Ollivander's role -- but the only get-out clause I can see here is to say that Harry was wrong and Ollivander was acting because *handwave* he was ashamed and scared to admit it. Although even then Harry should have been more suspicious, given how obsessed he'd been with the Hallows. Can anyone think of a better one?