Lily's Patronus (WAS: Re: Patronus question again)

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 187212

> > Carol wrote:
>  
> > Anyway, I agree with Magpie that Harry's reference to the doe 
> > as his mother's Patronus is a slip of some kind
> 
> 
> zanooda:
> 
> I think Lily's Patronus was a doe :-). Besides, the sentence "Snape's Patronus was a doe, the same as my mother" sounds really strange :-).

Magpie:
But whether it was a doe or not--and certainly it could have been--Harry doesn't know that and that's not what he's saying. It does sound strange to say "the same as my mother" but I think that's why he slips and says the same as his mother's. Snape and Lily having the same Patronus has a totally different meaning than Snape having a doe Patronus because it represents Lily. The first is just a mild coincidence that at best proves that Snape and Lily knew each other and shared a similar happy memory, which Voldemort already knows. Saying that Snape's Patronus is Lily proves that Snape truly loved Lily and was inspired by her. Lily is Snape's guardian spirit. Voldemort underestimated Snape's love for Lily and the strength that that she gave him.

-m