73
votes
Accepted
Was Shacklebolt's Patronus the only one that spoke?
Kingsley's patronus was not the only one that spoke.
In Chapter Seven of Deathly Hallows Mr. Weasley's patronus spoke:
They all saw it at the same time: a streak of light that came flying across ...
- 45k
45
votes
Could a corporeal Patronus be a swarm?
In Deathly Hallows, Professor McGonagall appears to cast three Patronuses at once to send messages:
[McGonagall] marched towards the door, and as she did so she raised her wand. From the tip burst ...
- 24.1k
45
votes
Who invented the "talking Patronus" spell used by the Order in the second Wizarding War?
Dumbledore
From Rowling’s old official site, jkrowling.com:
Members of the Order use their Patronuses to communicate with each other. They are the only wizards who know how to use their spirit ...
- 119k
44
votes
Accepted
Why did Lupin make Harry practice his Patronus on a Boggart/Dementor?
This is addressed in the source novel. Harry wants his army to practice on a Boggart, but he doesn't have ready access to one. He feels that producing a Patronus in a well-lit classroom isn't nearly ...
- 718k
25
votes
Accepted
What was Draco Malfoy's Patronus?
Per JK Rowling's original website, it's not known.
Q. What is Draco Malfoy’s Patronus?
JKR: As of the end of Half-Blood Prince, he has no idea how to produce one,
so nobody knows. You must remember ...
- 718k
22
votes
Why did Lupin make Harry practice his Patronus on a Boggart/Dementor?
Harry wanted lessons on dealing with Dementors.
Harry specifically wanted to learn how to cope with the Dementors’ effect on him, since Dementors were assigned to guard Hogwarts after Sirius Black ...
- 106k
19
votes
Accepted
Could a corporeal Patronus be a swarm?
It seems like a Patronus is one animal - unless multiple are cast.
There is a witch mentioned in Wonderbook: Book of Spells with a ladybug as her Patronus, and it seems to be just one.
Also, the ...
- 106k
14
votes
Is it possible to stop Patronus messages from appearing?
Probably Not.
Nothing is ever mentioned about being able to stop a Patronus appearing to you, even if it was the bearer of bad news (i.e Kingsley), but we do know that Wizards with questionable morals ...
- 6,099
14
votes
Was Shacklebolt's Patronus the only one that spoke?
Order members can speak via Patronuses.
Dumbledore explains to Harry that the members of the Order of the Phoenix have a more secure way of communicating with each other than most typical channels.
“...
- 106k
14
votes
Who invented the "talking Patronus" spell used by the Order in the second Wizarding War?
There is no clear indication in the books that this use was invented by Dumbledore.
Here's what the Pottermore page on the Patronus Charm (written by J. K. Rowling) has to say (emphasis mine):
One of ...
- 20.6k
13
votes
Accepted
If the size of a Patronus doesn't influence its power, why was Umbridge's Patronus less effective?
One possible reason seems to be that Umbridge's patronus was not meant to protect anyone other than herself, Yaxley, and Mafalda (Hermione).
The patronus might have been cast intentionally in a way (...
- 1,607
12
votes
Accepted
Why were these Patronuses used for these characters?
According to Wizarding World, Hermione's patronus (the otter) represents her affinity for these animals, as well as elements of her character.
Hermione is bookish and the otter is an especially child-...
- 718k
9
votes
What are the known memories used to conjure Patronuses?
These are the memories that I found explicitly mentioned in the books:
First time riding a broomstick.
Harry cast his mind about for a happy memory. Certainly, nothing that had happened to him at ...
- 45k
9
votes
Accepted
Can an extinct creature be a Patronus?
According to the Wonderbook: Book of Spells, extinct Patronuses are very rare. A wizard named Hedley Fleetwood had a Patronus that took the form of a woolly mammoth.
- 718k
8
votes
Would a Patronus animal change throughout your life due to emotionally changing?
Only if it’s a very severe emotional change.
Patronuses can change, but it only tends to happen because of a drastic emotional change. Harry asks Lupin why someone’s Patronus would change, and Lupin ...
- 106k
8
votes
If the size of a Patronus doesn't influence its power, why was Umbridge's Patronus less effective?
Because of how a Patronus is formed, Harry's might have more power than Umbridge's.
A Patronus is created from positive feelings, like hope and happiness.
“The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a ...
- 106k
8
votes
What is the relationship between Snape's Patronus and Lily?
Snape's Patronus was the same as Lily's because he was in love with her.
A wizard's (or witch's) Patronus can change shape to match the Patronus of someone they're truly in love with. The feeling of ...
- 106k
8
votes
Accepted
How did Harry know that his mother's Patronus was a doe?
He Doesn't
Harry has no specific proof that Lily's patronus was a doe. He's basing that assumption purely on the fact that HIS patronus is a stag, which is based on his father. (Lupin points out the ...
- 96
7
votes
Accepted
Is there any specific wand movement for the Patronus Charm?
No.
When Lupin teaches Harry to do the spell there is no mention of hand movement at all.
But we know that some wizards can do magic even without words or wands.
I would generally guess that also ...
- 5,094
6
votes
Is it possible to stop Patronus messages from appearing?
I'm not sure whether to post this as an answer, as it is primarily speculation, but it seems likely that if someone really wanted to stop a Patronus, they could. If one were in a location protected by ...
- 1,791
6
votes
Accepted
How do Death Eaters fight against Dementors?
There are ways to fight Dementors other than a Patronus.
When Harry has to write an essay for Snape, he’s fairly sure he’ll get a bad grade since he doesn’t agree with him on how best to fight ...
- 106k
6
votes
In which situations does a wizard's patronus change due to love?
If your patronus changes cause you love someone, if you fall out of love will it stay the same or change to something else?
J.K. Rowling: Your Patronus only changes if it's eternal love, unchanging - ...
- 96.1k
6
votes
Accepted
In Deathly Hallows, how did Dolores Umbridge manage to conjure a Patronus while wearing the locket when Harry wasn't able to?
JK has answered this directly:
James Farrell: How did Umbridge manage to conjure a patronus while
wearing the locket, when Harry wasn't able to?
J.K. Rowling: Because she is a very nasty piece of ...
- 40k
5
votes
Can you touch an animal from the Patronus charm?
There is, perhaps, evidence that a patronus lacks a physical body that can be touched. In Prisoner of Azkaban when Harry casts the patronus that saves their past selves, we have the following ...
- 45k
5
votes
How come Snape and Lily have the same patronus?
They are not related, it is Snape's profound love for Lily that causes his Patronus to be a doe.
The Patronus, asserted Spangle, represents that which is hidden, unknown but necessary within the ...
- 61.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to stop Patronus messages from appearing?
It is hard—but not impossible—to stop a Patronus.
According to the FAQ of some iteration of JKRowling.com:
Members of the Order use their Patronuses to communicate with each other. They are the only ...
- 24.1k
4
votes
Accepted
What is the most intelligent creature that someone has had as a Patronus?
Of the 159 known Patronus forms, all 159 are broadly what could be termed 'animals' (e.g. as opposed to intelligent magical creatures that are broadly referred to as "beings", described in ...
- 718k
3
votes
Relation between love and Patronus
Each Patronus is symbolic of the caster, with the corporeal form of a Patronus saying something about the nature of the caster and/or their relationships (romantic or otherwise), although some people ...
- 4,853
3
votes
If the size of a Patronus doesn't influence its power, why was Umbridge's Patronus less effective?
The happiness for Umbridge's Patronus comes from her own self-righteousness. Therefore is likely that her happy memory is not as strong as Harry's and therefore the charm is not as effective.
In ...
- 61.3k
3
votes
Accepted
Why wasn't George able to cast Patronus after the events of Battle of Hogwarts?
In short, the 'fact' that George was incapable of casting the Patronus Charm after Fred's death has never been confirmed by Rowling. The earliest attribution I can find for it is on Reddit, going back ...
- 718k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible