Hermione's Patronus

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 124140


Maddy:"If only we had had a chance to see Sirius's. Though, I highly
doubt his Patronus would have been a great big dog. Why? Well, Harry's
Patronus has to do with his father, and since a Patronus has to do
with protection, something associated with his parents who died trying
to protect him, it makes sense."

But Harry didn't know that his father's Patronus was a stag; Harry
didn't even yet know that "Prongs" was his father.

Harry doesn't learn for certain that his father's Animagic form was a
stag until after he's cast his stag Patronus. He only hears that his
father was Prongs in the Shrieking Shack:

Lupin:"... And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and
sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James
was Prongs."

"What sort of animal --?" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off."

Later, Harry learns for sure, as Lupin is packing his bags:

"Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was
smiling again...

Lupin again: "Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed,"
he said. "You
guessed right... that's why we called him Prongs."

So I think Harry's stag Patronus is part of his father's heritage, not
a memory. Excellent.
									
Maddy:"This brings me to another question, though. Do you think
Patroni are always animals? Or can they be something else?"

I bet they are animals, a reflection of yourself, like one of
Pullman's daemons. Humankind has likened itself to other animals
forever, and wizards are very human.  It would seem a protector that
wasn't a living thing wouldn't have the same punch.  A magical
creature, perhaps, or even a mythical one? Maybe, but whatever it is
clearly comes from the person casting the spell, so it has to be
something that's part of that person.

Jim Ferer