Patronuses in general (was Re: Secondary thought on Patronuses

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 145550

 
> Julie:
> This is a good point. But it is possible Snape identified Tonks' 
> changed patronus *after the fact.* When he saw that she was the one 
> escorting Harry, he knew it was her patronus--one he didn't 
associate 
> with her until that moment. I found it interesting that his snarky 
> comment about her new patronus being "weak" was said as something 
of 
an 
> afterthought. (And again, this brief mention was pointless to the 
plot 
> of HBP, but there must be some reason JKR introduced the concept!)
> 


Potioncat:
There is so much we don't know about Patronuses!
I thought Snape knew who the Patronus was from, before he heard it 
and  
certainly after he heard its message. I'm assuming it's only Order 
members who even know about this form of communication.

His comment tells us that her Patronus had changed. I wonder how the 
less involved reader took that? It's only those like us who would 
have 
known that they are unique to the sender, etc., etc. 

Was his snarkiness directed at Lupin, perhaps? Snape is saying that 
Lupin is weak or weaker than whomever/whatever Tonk's former Patronus 
form was. Or was he commneting on Tonk's weakness? That she is weaker 
than she was?

She says the Patronus was intended for Hagrid. Now, does that mean 
she 
sent it to Hagrid or to the place she expected Hagrid to be? That is, 
she expected Hagrid to be on "duty" at a special place, but instead 
Snape was on duty. If it was sent "to Hagrid" how did Snape "read" 
it? (Sort of reminds me of when my daughters' friends IM her when I'm 
the one on-line. A Mom can learn a lot that way ;-) )

And of course, how will a changing Patronus play out in book 7. Will 
it 
be someone's Patronus that we readers already know or will it be 
someone whose Patronus we don't know?  

Someone else who has had a big shock is Harry. Could his Patronus 
change from a stag to a Phoenix?

Potioncat, as I've said before, we cats have more questions than 
answers.