Snape's Patronus

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 160855

Charles wrote:
> I'm convinced, he has one. The question is, what is it. Me being the 
> Snape-hater that I am, I'd like to think it's a pygmypuff or a yorkie. 
> Alas, as zgirnius points out, he does taunt Tonks. With JKR's 
> reluctance to reveal his patronus, it makes me think that it would 
> reveal his loyalties. Just to keep myself from having to run and hide 
> from the Greasy Git Fan Club, I'll suggest first that it may be a 
> phoenix, to represent DD. 
> 
> Now back to my regularly scheduled Snape bash: If Snape is a good guy 
> (snort!) could his patronus possibly be a stag, representing a certain 
> Marauder who saved his life? It would explain Snape's reluctance to 
> deal with patronuses (patroni? Could one of you Latin experts help me 
> out on this?)
> 
> If he's the evil git that I'm convinced he is, (I'm sure that his 
> innocence in the previous books was a planned red herring for the end 
> of book six.) his patronus might be a basilisk or other type of snake. 
> I'm at a loss for what else it might be if he's ESE. Any ideas folks?
> 
> Charles, who woke up laughing this morning after a dream in which 
> Snape's wand spit an attack yorkie at a flock of pissed off dementors.
>
Carol responds:

Well, at least we agree that Snape has a Patronus!

Even if he's ESE!, which I seriously doubt given his contempt for
and/or enmity with Voldie's most loyal servants (Barty Jr., Bellatrix,
Wormtail), I don't think his Patronus is a snake or a Basilisk. That
would be Tom Riddle's/Voldemort's, surely. He is, after all, the Heir
of Slytherin.

If he's OFH!, which I grant is possible though it's not my own view,
his Patronus might be a bat, given all the bat imagery associated with
him. I suppose he could even have a bat Patronus as DDM!Snape. After
all, JKR likes weasels and has tried to make them humorous through
association with the Weasley family, so why not bats? Ginny, whom
we're supposed to like, is famous for her bat-bogey hex, which she
uses on kids she dislikes (Draco and Zacharias Smith), so bats have
some association with the good side.

However, I don't think we'll see Snape with a bat Patronus in Book 7.
I think the change in Tonks' Patronus foreshadows a change in Snape's.
I suspect that it will be something related to Dumbledore, probably a
Phoenix but possibly a bumblebee ("dumbledore" = "bumblebee").

Carol, who will laugh if it's a bumblebee but hopes it's a Phoenix