Snape's Boggart and Patronus (WAS Re: OPEN: Ultimate and ...)

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 171325

> Shylah:
> <snip>
> > I think it is Snape who has the other changed patronus and 
whatever
> it is now hinges directly on his loyalties to either side.  He has a
> known patronus within the order and no one has gone, aha!.  So I 
think
> the giveaway patronus is yet to come.  To be in any way useful.  His
> changed one would have to be related to Dumbledore in some way 
that's
> recognisable and inspires trust.
> 
> Carol responds:
> I agree again, but I don't quite understand what you mean by "no one
> has gone, aha!" Can you clarify?

zgirnius:
Rowling has indicated that she will not tell us Snape's Boggart and 
Patronus because that would be giving too much away. What I believe 
Shylah is saying is that Snape has had a patronus form that is known 
to the Order/Dumbledore throughout the first six books, and whatever 
that Patronus is cannot give too much away about Snape. If it were 
(say) a Phoenix, this would presumably have been mentioned in one of 
the many discussions of Snape's loyalties in the books. "Dumbledore 
trusts him, and his Patronus is a Phoenix, Harry!". Likewise it 
cannot, for the same reason, be something that is easily associated 
with Voldemort/Dark Arts, because then someone should have said 
something at the end of HBP along the lines of "I can't believe 
Dumbledore trusted Snape based on that ridiculous story that he was 
sorry James and Lily were dead, especially since we all know he has a 
Basilisk (or whatever) Patronus."

So if it is the Patronus that is the giveaway, the Patronus must be 
chaning to this giveaway form in DH (and this hypothetical new form 
would more or less have to be a Phoenix, I think, none of the other 
Snape theories would IMO account for a changed Patronus).

Of course, it could also be something like a chameleon or fox, 
indicating OFH!Snape's reliance on and loyalty to himself alone, 
which would not necessarily be indicative to either side of anything 
besides Snape's character and talents as a spy. Though we could 
admire this choice of Patronus by Rowling in retrospect.

But of course we know he's not, wink wink. <g>

I tend to think, though, that it is the Boggart that is the dead 
giveaway. I doubt we will see its form in DH, but I think being told 
what it is it would give us insight into his priorities that would 
answer the loyalty question, so Rowling refused to answer.