[HPforGrownups] Significance of Snape's Patronus

[silmariel]

No: HPFGUIDX 145505


Miles:
> I just went to the quick quotes quill to check Rowling's statement - and I
> only found this:

> >>Ernie: I wonder if you can let us know what form will Professor Snape's
> Boggart and Patronus take? I am very curious.
> JK Rowling replies -> Well, I'm not going to tell you Ernie, but that's
> because it would give so much away.<<
> http://www.quick-quote-quill.org/articles/2004/0304-wbd.htm

> A dragon that eats stags and dogs for Snape - so what? We won't be 
>surprised.

Silmariel:
Oh, yes, we would. I think the quote doesn't make sense if taken out of 
cronological context, it is from March 4, 2004, while HBP was published July 
16, 2005.

At that time, with only OoP, a dragon for a Patronus would mean that he was 
powerful (we were still discussing about if he was powerful or it was only a 
fandom legend), he is going to be central to the novels (again, this entering 
the front of the scenario surprised a lot of people, that have even 
complained about too much time wasted on him) because the school motto is the 
first thing you see opening the books, that he may be attached to Draco more 
closely than we expected (as we've seen, he attached to him at least by the 
Vow), and, as side effect, I doubt the identity of the HBP would have been a 
surprise.

It may not be revealing now, but at the time she said it, it was very juicy, 
IMO.

Of course, she might be refering to the boggart, and it seems fair that if you 
know Snape's fear you know the side he's in, and that, contrary to the 
Patronus, the boggart isn't something characters would know. I'm assuming his 
fear is not to be eternally deprived of the Order of Merlin <g>. Hey, Harry 
can throw him a boggart to see what can be learned about him.

> I know there were discussions about Snape's Boggart shape on the list
> before. I do not want to spoil all the Patronus discussions - they are fun,
> indeed. But are they significant? Maybe - but Rowling is not witness for
> this.

It's fun, that's the point.

Silmariel