Nature of a Patronus / Snape's Patronus

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 153266

 
> Distaiyi <distaiyi at ...> wrote:
> > What Patroni do we know about... And some thoughts given JKR's
> > penchant(sp?) for using mythological themes...
> > <snip possible patronuses>

Potioncat:
My quibble with your post would be that the Patronus doesn't tell us 
so much about the person as it tells us where the person seeks 
protection/safety.

So far we've seen two specific cases where canon tells us who the 
Patronus represents. In Harry's case the stag represented James (in 
this case Patron(us) really being Father) and in Tonks's case the 
large animal was a wolf to represent Lupin.
> 
> honeykissed246:>    
> Because can you just imagine Snape's patronus not being a phoenix 
> at all but an image of Dumbledore!  Nothing would scream loyalty 
> like that.  Can't you see JKR doing something like that?  I can 
> since it appears that she loves shocking her readers. Wouldn't that 
> be shocking!  Imagine the look on Harry and Voldemort's faces. 

Potioncat:
I think Patronuses are alwyas animals, although I don't know if that 
has been confirmed. I thought Snape's Patronus would be something 
that represented DD. I suspected a bumblebee because the phoenix 
hadn't been so firmly a part of DD before. But, if I was correct and 
it always was a DD!Patronus, would it change now? Or if it changes to 
DD!Patronus (in whatever form) what might it have been?

I think it's more likely we'll see Harry's Patronus change to a 
Phoenix and later find out Snape's always has been one.

If we could only figure out what the heck a JR Terrior would 
represent!