All about Lupin (and a little about Tolkien)

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 122032


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:

Pippin:
> You did notice, perhaps, that Lupin didn't actually teach Harry to 
> produce a corporeal patronus? He stopped the lessons while 
> Harry was still only able to produce a silver vapor -- not enough 
> to drive a dementor away.

Geoff:
I'm not entirely sure that you are taught to produce a "corporeal" 
Patronus; it may depend on your own ability. And I'm also not sure I 
agree with your last statement.

Let's look at canon: 

'The witch with the monocle cut across him in a booming voice.
"You produced a fully-fledged Patronus?"
"Yes," said Harry. "because -"
"A corporeal Patronus?"
"A - what?" said Harry.
"Your Patronus had a clearly defined form? I mean to say, it was more 
than vapour or smoke?"
"Yes," said Harry, feeling both impatient and slightly 
desperate, "it's a stag, it's always a stag."
"Always?" boomed Madam Bones. "You have produced a Patronus before 
now?"
"Yes," said Harry, "I've been doing it for over a year."
"And you are fifteen years old?"
"Yes, and -"
"You learned this at school?"
"Yes. Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, because of the -"
"Impressive," said Madam Bones, staring down at him, "a true Patronus 
at his age... very impressive indeed."'

(OOTP "The Hearing" p.129 UK edition)

'Three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking 
up at him.
He didn't stop to think. Plunging a hand down the neck of his robes, 
he whipped out his wand and roared "Expecto Patronum!"
Something silvery white, something enormous, erupted from the end of 
his wand.

****

"That was quite some Patronus" said a voice in Harry's ear.
Harry turned round to see Professor Lupin who looked both shaken and 
pleased.'

(POA "Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw" pp.193/94 UK edition)

'"Well - that thing - the Dementor - stood there and looked around (I 
mean, I think it did, I coldn't see its face) - and you - you -"
"I thought you were having a fit or something," said Ron who still 
looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and 
started twitching -"
"And Professor Lupin stepped over you and walked towards the Dementor 
and pulled out his wand," said Hermione. "And he said, 'None of us is 
hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go.' But the Dementor didn't 
move so Lupin muttered something and a silvery thing shot out of his 
wand at it and it turned round and sort of glided away..."'

(POA "The Dementor" p.67 UK edition)

Now, what can we infer from this? Madam Bones seems to imply that not 
everyone can produce a corporeal Patronus.

It would appear that even Lupin doesn't seem to produce a 
recognisable Patronus or Hermione would have given a clearer 
description of it - and his silver vapour, or whatever, did drive the 
Dementor away.

Finally Harry says that his Patronus is "always" a stag. So how many 
Patronuses (or Patroni) has he produced? Furthermore, whatever he 
produced at the Quidditch match was certainly more than vapour or 
smoke.

No, I feel that Harry's ability allowed him to shift a gear - quite 
early I suspect - and Lupin felt that he could handle things in that 
area.

Geoff
http://www.aspectsofexmoor.com
Enjoy a virtual visit to the Exmoor National Park 
and the preserved West Somerset Railway