What triggered ancient magic? WAS: Re: James and Intent

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 187050

Pippin wrote:
> <snip> I agree that being able to cast a patronus does not mean you are a good or noble person. But IMO, it does mean that you love whatever the patronus represents. Who says Umbridge doesn't love  cats?

Carol responds:
It's interesting, though, that Umbridge's Patronus and weaker than Harry's (and, I think, weaker than Snape's though we never see them together). that's not an indication of relative goodness, per se, since Hermione's Patronus is also weak (a failure of confidence, in her case). But I think we're meant to notice that Harry's Patronus and Snape's are a matched pair, both powerful and beautiful. Maybe that says something about the power of James as an inspiration for Harry (the Patronus takes its form before Harry sees SWM) and the power of Snape's love for (the idealized) Lily, with which Umbridge's fondness for cats (and "foul" kittens with ribbons decorating her office) can't compare.

Carol, who thinks that Umbridge's cat Patronus (like Filch's "sweet" Mrs. Norris) reflects JKR's own dislike of cats, though other depictions of cats in the books (McG's Patronus and Animagus form, Crookshanks, even Mr. Tibbles and the rest of Mrs. Figg's cats) don't match the pattern