Patronus

From UnknowableWiki

The Patronus is a spirit guardian in the silvery shape of a creature. According to Remus Lupin, it is a "positive force, a projection of (...) hope, happiness. the desire to survive (...) but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can" (PA12). A Patronus is conjured by the use of the Patronus Charm.

Due to the difficulties in performing the Patronus Charm correctly, many wizards only achieve to conjure an indistinct Patronus that does not trancend a shapeless silver smoke (PA12). However, when it takes the clear form of a determinate creature, the spirit guardian is known as a "fully-fledged", "true", or, most commonly, a "corporeal Patronus" (OP8).

The form of a true Patronus is unique to each witch or wizard, being somehow shaped by its conjurer's character and personality. Therefore, it is impossible for one to create another person's Patronus (JKRW).

A Patronus can sometimes change its original form when one goes through a great shock or an emotional up-heaval (HBP16), as is exemplified by Tonks' spirit guardian changing its shape after she falls in love with Lupin (HBP8). It may often change into a form related to the image of the love of one's life, usually because said person is the most frequent source of the happy memory used to conjure the Patronus (BLC).

1 Dementors
2 Lethifold
3 Order of the Phoenix
4 Known Patronuses
5 Trivia

Dementors

Due its singluar characteristcs, the Patronus is mainly used to fight off Dementors, for, since the first cannot feel human despair, the latters cannot hurt it or feed upon the hope and happiness a Patronus projects.

While an indistinct Patronus may work only as a rather weak shield between its conjurer and a Dementor (PA12), a corporeal Patronus is able to tackle and fight off these magical creatures, forcing them to retreat into the darkness from whence they came (PA21). Its conjurer can even make his or her Patronus defend other people besides him or herself, and, if the guardian is strong enough, charge at more than one Dementor (OP1, PA21).

Lethifold

According to the written account of Flavius Belby, the Patronus is also able to fight off Lethifolds. The wizard narrates, "I performed a Patronus Charm. Almost at once I felt fresh air upon my face. I looked up to see the deathly shadow being thrown into the air upon the horns of my Patronus. It flew across the room and slithered swiftly out of sight".

The Patronus, however, is not usually used against such creatures, for Lethifolds usually make its victims while they're asleep, and, therefore, unable defend themselves (FBAZ).

Order of the Phoenix

The Order of the Phoenix members are the only known wizards to use their Patronuses as a method of communication. This form of sending messages in an invention of Albus Dumbledore, and the headmaster himself teaches it to the Order.

According to J.K. Rowling, the Patronus is proven to be extremely effective messenger due to several of its qualities: "it is an anti-Dark Arts device, which makes it highly resilient to interference from dark wizards; it is not hindered by physical barriers; each Patronus is unique and distinctive, so that there is never any doubt which Order member has sent it; nobody else can conjure another person's Patronus, so there is no danger of false messages being passed between Order members; nothing conspicuous needs to be carried by the Order member to create a Patronus" (JKRW).

Since the Patronus is usually used to fight off "things the Death Eaters generally generate, or fight alongside", these dark wizards do not need the spirit guardians, and therefore never bother to learn how to conjure them.

Severus Snape, also an Order of the Phoenix member, is the only Death Eater who manages to conjure a fully-fledged Patronus, although he does not use it to comunicate with the Order, for it would give away his true alliegiance, and his love for Lily Potter (BLC).