DH: The silver doe as Lily's patronus?+Lilly's eyes

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No: HPFGUIDX 173178

 
> MusicalBetsy here:
> Here's what I don't understand - DD seemed surprised that Snape's 
> patronus was STILL a doe.  Am I understanding this correctly?  But 
> isn't the patronus how the Order communicated?  


Potioncat:

I'm responding the thread in general, and I hope I haven't re-stated 
something already said.

It seems to me a Patronus doesn't reflect the inner person, but 
rather, represents the person's source of strength such as a parent-
figure, patron, or protector. As Harry was first casting his, it was 
his father he was calling upon, although the happy memory IIRC was of 
Hermione and Ron.

Most of us expected Snape's Patronus to represent DD and were looking 
for a Phoenix or Bumblebee. Others expected Lily to be the source, 
and were anticipating a unicorn. (I don't recall what other forms 
were offered up for Lily.) So I recognized the silver doe at once. 
The fact that it didn't speak was a dead give-away. We had already 
seen several times in DH that the Patronus speaks with the caster's 
voice. 

As for DD's surprise that Snape's Patronus is a doe. I don't think 
that is what's going on. Look at these lines from The Prince's Tale: 
DD: "
Have you grown to care for the boy after all?"
"For him?" shouted Snape. "Expecto Patronum!"
(Description of silver doe)
DD's eyes are full of tears: "After all this time?"
"Always," said Snape.

DD wasn't surprised at the form of the Patronus; he was surprised at 
the intensity of Snape's feelings for Lily. Snape's point in casting 
the Patronus had been to demonstrate that he was doing everything for 
Lily, not for Harry.

I read some where up-thread that Snape's Patronus changed when Lily 
died. We don't know that. Although we learned in HBP that a 
Patronus's form can change; we never knew what Snape's Patronus was 
to begin with. 

According to JKR's site, Expecto Patronum is not taught at Hogwarts. 
So witches and wizards must learn it after leaving school. Perhaps 
only certain professions have reason to learn it. It may be that DD 
taught the Order members how to cast it. He certainly taught them how 
to communicate with it. So Snape may not have learned how to cast one 
until after Lily died.

Does anyone recall a statement in DH where Snape says Lily's Patronus 
was a doe? I've seen it mentioned, and I thought I read it too, but I 
can't find it. I'm not sure why the two of them would have the same 
Patronus, or how Snape would know what hers was. I suppose it's 
possible that he learned to cast one then later learned it was the 
same form as hers. Harry didn't learn the reason for his stag until 
DD told him.

It's not clear to me if everyone in the WW understands the Patronus 
form's symbolism, but it's clear that DD and Snape do. (Based on PoA 
and HBP) I wonder what Lupin and Black made of Snape's Doe Patronus?

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