Patronus from the Power of Love (Was: Deontological!Snape )

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 171419

> Magpie:
> I totally agree about this theory of advanced magic. I think the 
> good memory just gives you the right feeling, and after that you 
> almost do it by muscle memory.

Mike:
Thanks Magpie, that makes 2 of us. ;) "Muscle memory" is the right 
phrase. 

I can't say if it's just Lupin's teaching methods, or if all magic is 
taught this way. But it seems that beginners are given techniques to 
produce satifactory beginner results with new spells. To progress to 
either more advanced spells or to get better results from the more 
basic spells, one must channel their own internal magical qualities 
and strengths. 

So Lupin taught Harry *how* to cast a Patronus by telling him to 
think of a happy memory. This got Harry started. But it would 
probably only ever got him that wisp of silver against Dementors if 
he never internalized what he was trying to do. In fact, a wisp is 
all Harry ever got thinking *happy memories* when actually  going 
against Dementors.


> Magpie:
> I don't know how I feel about Patronuses being love, exactly. I see 
> what you mean, but to me "love" should mean something sort of 
> different. It seems more like a personal confidence to me--as DD 
> says, Harry finds his father inside himself. It's a guardian 
> spirit, but comes from inside the person. The Patronus itself 
> doesn't seem like hitting somebody with the power of love, more 
> like the hitting them with your own inner strength.

Mike:
I think I was unclear in my previous post. I'm not suggesting that 
the Patronus is going to be Harry's ace in the hole. I'm suggesting 
that *Love* can be manifest in many forms of magic, the Patronus 
being the only one we've been shown so far. This was a breakthrough 
for me when I realized that despite Harry's continued protestations 
of "Love - Big Deal", he has already used the power of Love and just 
hasn't realized it yet.

Dumbledore said:
"You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us?" ... "How else 
could you produce that *particular* Patronus? Prongs rode again last 
night." (PoA pp 427-8, US ed.)

Mike: Typical Dumbledore (or rather JKR), pass quickly over a key 
fact from the nights events and jump immediately to the thing that 
will distract us and Harry - "Prongs". But Dumbledore said it in his 
first sentence: the ones that Harry **loved** was the key.

It was Harry's Love of his father that produced that fully fledged 
corporeal Stag Patronus, that defeated hundreds of Dementors.

It was Harry's Love for Ron and Hermione that produced the second 
Patronus in the Little Whinging alley.

> Magpie:
> I think that strength can be connected to love, though. Harry feels 
> stronger knowing he has Ron and Hermione, and his parents sort of 
> feed into that too, whether or not he has literal memories of them, 
> he knows he is/was loved.

Mike:
I think Harry can use Love in many other expressions of magic. And 
Harry has a kind of two-pronged power here. His power of Love is not 
only the most powerful kind of magic, according to Dumbledore, but 
because Harry has this power he is able to project it in ways a less 
powerful wizard can't. I might guess anyone could learn to channel 
*Love* magic, but the amount of inate power can't be taught.  

Remember in the alleyway when Harry got his wand to light with a 
Lumos even though he didn't have it in his hand? I can even see Harry 
projecting a Protego Charm to protect a loved one that is seperate 
from him, say, across the room. It's because Harry strength is not 
only the most powerful kind of magic, but Harry also has more of it 
than any other wizard.