[HPforGrownups] Re: Boggart/ Patronus Musings - Quote Lupin

[James Lawlor]

No: HPFGUIDX 105601

No quoting, because I'm just sort of replying to the thread in general.
In other words, I'm too lazy to spend the next 15 minutes compiling
quotes. I hope that's acceptable :D

Anyway, regarding the discussion of corporeal
Patronus...es....Patronii?... Whatever.
I'm certain that Dumbledore is able to produce a corporeal Patronus -
and I would guess that Lupin could as well. I think that the Patronus
Charm can be purposely cast in a weaker state by a powerful Wizard.

A Patronus can kill an Dementor, correct? Or if not "kill", destroy or
get rid of, at least. When the dementors swarmed the Quiddich field in
PoA, Dumbledore couldn't vaporize them all (as much as he would have
liked to, I'm sure) since they were on loan from the MoM and
(arguably) "protecting" the school. So he just used a non-corporeal
Patronus to get their attention and scare them off. Same with Lupin on
the train - perhaps he didn't want to destroy the Dementor, just get
it out of the compartment and away from Harry and everyone else. (Or
it could easily be that he was weak from the phase of the moon and was
conserving his energy).

And Dumbledore seems to be the type who prefers not to show how
powerful he is both out of humility (he has his "arrogant moments" -
but they are mostly in good humor) and the desire to conceal how
powerful he really is. He probably doesn't want the entire student
body having the "Holy crap, mate! Did you see what Dumbledore did?
He's really strong!" conversation for a month. It probably serves him
well at times for people to think he's a bit senile and "a barmy old
codger".

- James Lawlor
jlawlor at gmail.com