[HPforGrownups] re:Patronus

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 167558

> Ryan wrote in
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/167244>:
>
> << I do think however, that the form of the patronus is linked to the
> inspiration for the Patronus. Which makes me wonder why Ron's patronus
> is a Jack Russell terrier and Cho Chang's is a swan. >>
>
> Carol answered in
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/167259>:
>
> << I wonder if we're not confusing the concepts of Animagus and
> Patronus here. A Patronus, according to JKR, is a "spirit guardian," a
> protector rather than an indication of the caster's personality and
> character, as the Animagus form clearly is. Sirius Black's Animagus
> form, a Grimlike black dog, reflected his personality and character,
> just as Peter Pettigrew's rat form reflects his, but I doubt that
> their Patronus forms were identical to their Animagus forms. >>
>
> I think it was JKR, not us, who confused the idea of Animagus and
> Patronus. She said she would want her Animagus form to be an otter,
> and she gave the otter to Hermione, her Mary Sue character, as a
> Patronus. I don't think that meant that Hermione feels that she is
> protected by having the Author on her side, and I don't think Hermione
> knows that the Author's Animagus form is an otter. Otters are known
> for playfulness as well as effectiveness, which seems appropriate to
> JKR with all her puns and other wordplay, but not appropriate to
> Hermione, who shows no sign of having a sense of humor.
>
> I think Sirius might well have the same Patronus as Animagus form,
> meaning that he feels he is protected by himself and his own powers.
>
> I can see Cho as a swan Animagus -- they're beautiful, but known to
> viciously bite the kind humans who are feeding them -- but can't see
> her as self-confident enough to feel protected by her own powers.
> Still, she could have one swan as Animagus form and a different swan
> for Patronus, showing that she feels her beauty is her strongest power.

Magpie:
Cho, to me, doesn't seem to be either someone who viciously bites the hand 
of the kind humans feeding her or lacking in self-confidence

Patronuses are supposed to somehow represent the happy memory, which is tied 
to what makes you feel protected. I assume that Cho's swan is perhaps linked 
to the mating for life and love associations with swans. Her happy memory 
could, for instance, be something having to do with Cedric, which still 
protects her even though he is gone. She might also be a swan animagus for 
all we know, but that wouldn't necessarily mean her Patronus represents her 
being protected by her own powers. I wouldn't be surprised if Sirius' 
Patronus had something to do with James or Harry. He might have a stag too 
(though his own version of it)

I may be forgetting Harry's happy memory, but isn't it his finding out he's 
a Wizard? That can be associated with the stag because it is connected to 
his real self, his real heritage, and his real family. Hermone's otter and 
Ron's Jack Russell would also be associated with some happy memory of 
theirs. If Hermione was remembering some time when Ron made her happy, the 
otter would on some level associated with him. Ron's Jack Russell would be 
associated with whatever his happy memory was (heh--perhaps that's Hermione 
for him). Animagus forms are connected to the essence of the caster and 
don't change, but Patroni definitely can, as different memories and 
experiences and people become more important to the caster. The very name 
suggests a guiding spirit outside the person. The memory comes from them, 
and it symbolizes their own protection of themselves, but it's not, imo, a 
symbolic representation of things that make them confident in their life. 
That's why Hermone's Patronuses isn't, for example, a book.

-m