A question that recently came to my attention was: Can a Patronus change over time?
Patronuses are representations of happiness used a form of protection against dementors, representations of sadness.
A Patronus forms when the caster of the curse, Expecto Patronum, thinks of the happiest moment in their life. The happiest moment in one's life can change, reflecting upon the animal.
J.K. Rowling said in an interview that Lily having a doe Patronus and James having a stag Patronus wasn't a coincidence, but that one's Patronus matches their true love's Patronus.
Ginny Weasley's Patronus is a horse. Harry Potter's Patronus is a stag. As we all well know, Ginny and Harry marry at most 6-7 years after the events of the final battle. If what Jo said is true, Ginny's Patronus should shift from a horse to a doe.
I think of it like a daemon, from His Dark Materials.
In this series, children and adults alike store their souls on the outside of their bodies, disguised as animals. Lyra, the heroine of the story, has a daemon named Pan, who likes to shift from ermine to other animals. The animal it chooses depends on its master's emotions. If Lyra were angry, Pan would be something frightening. If Lyra were happy, Pan might become a butterfly or a puppy dog.
Once the master of the daemon becomes an adult, their daemon settles on one animal. Patronuses, in my opinion, are the same.
Let's use Hermione as an example. We find out that her Patronus is an otter, a smart yet fun creature. But we find this out when she's fifteen-years-old. Had she been physically able to cast a Patronus in Year One, I would think it would have been an owl or a cat, something wise and perfect. But Hermione starts to like Ron at age fifteen, and is more open to having fun and breaking the rules...a little bit. Ron's Patronus is a Jack Russel Terrier, which is...well...FUN! In my opinion, Hermione's patronus will change to a dog like Ron's.
Well...I'll add this to the growing list of questions to ask Jo if we ever meet her.
--Riley
No comments:
Post a Comment