State of the DA (was:Fear as a Crime (Re: muggle baiting )

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 156251

zeroirregardless wrote:

>     The most remarkable achievement of the DA was so many students
> learning to cast corporeal Patronuses. The fact that one could --
> Harry -- was so remarkable, it was apparently a topic of gossip at the
> Ministry of Magic. The fact that a substantial number can, would
> probably be considered impossible.
> 
>     If DA members repel a mass Dementor attack in Book 7, we could
> look back on the DA as vital.
> 
Carol responds:
But there was a huge difference. Harry learned to cast a Patronus
using a Boggart that took the form of a Dementor, so he not only knew
the spell but could cast it even while Dementors were sucking out his
happiness (and, of course, he also saw his future self driving away
Dementors and knew he could do it). The DA members can cast the spell
in the RoR, but they've never used it against even a Boggart
Dementor--and no one but Harry has a Dementor Boggart, as far as we
know. It's one thing to concentrate on a happy thought to conjure a
Patronus when you're in no danger; another matter entirely when you're
facing cold and darkness and the terror of having your soul sucked out
and the Dementors are feeding on the very happiness required to cast
the spell.

Maybe the other DA members, at least the core half dozen, will be able
to use their Patronuses (Patroni?) to communicate with each other, but
I think only Harry can actually use a Patronus to drive away a
Dementor. I think they'll have to learn to do it from experience when
thy're with him. Either that or Snape's alternate method of dealing
with Dementors, which JKR hinted at in HBP but didn't reveal, will
come into play.

Carol, who thinks we'll hear more from some of the DA members but that
they won't be fighting Dementors in book 7