“And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. He screwed up his eyes, trying to see what it was. It looked like a horse. It was galloping silently away from him, across the black surface of the lake. He saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming dementors…. “
—Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban
It is inevitable to read this passage and wonder what shape our Patronus would take. How often have we imagined our Patronus bounding against the darkness leaving behind that wispy silvery trail as it drove away Dementors?
Well now you can know the form your Patronus can take, on Pottermore by means of a simple set of questions devised by J.K. Rowling to understand personalities of those taking the quiz and pair them with their corresponding Patronus.
Rowling took the quiz and this is what she got!
A Patronus charm acts as a shield between Dementors and yourself. They represent your happiest memories of hope and peace, to ward off Dementors who feed off these emotions.
Pottermore‘s Patronus test is breath-taking and surreal. Against the backdrop of a dark forest a silvery stag lurks snorting and stamping its foot, emitting vivid flying blue sparks against the darkness.
The incantation for the spell,
which is deviously difficult to master and only skilled witches and wizards can produce Patronuses which have corporeal forms. Since the Patronus is sourced from within you, great eighteenth-century researcher of Charms, Professor Catullus Spangle says that the shape of your Patronus reflects that which is hidden but necessary in your personality.
He writes in his book Charms of Defence and Deterrence,
‘For it is evident… that a human confronted with inhuman evil, such as the Dementor, must draw upon resources he or she may never have needed, and the Patronus is the awakened secret self that lies dormant until needed, but which must now be brought to light…’
Patronuses have other functions apart from warding off the dark, cloaked, soul-sucking creatures. They can be sent to deliver messages as Kingsley Shacklebolt did during Bill and Fleur’s wedding to warn guests of the impending dangers of the fall of the Ministry.
‘Graceful and gleaming, the lynx landed lightly in the middle of the astonished dancers. Heads turned, as those nearest it froze, absurdly, in mid-dance. Then the Patronus’s mouth opened wide and it spoke in the loud, deep, slow voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt.
– Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
They can be used to guide and protect as Snape did with his doe, guiding the trio to the sword of Gryffindor, they can be used to summon and to alert as Professor McGonagall did before the Battle of Hogwarts.
‘Come. We must alert the other Heads of House. You’d better put that Cloak back on.’She marched towards the door, and as she did so she raised her wand. From the tip burst three silver cats with spectacle markings around their eyes. The Patronuses ran sleekly ahead, filling the spiral staircase with silvery lights, as Professor McGonagall, Harry and Luna hurried back down.’
– Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
And it generally resembles the Patronus of your beloved. Ginny Weasley’s Patronus was a horse akin to what Harry initially thought his Patronus was. Snape’s Patronus was a doe, the same as Lily Potter’s.
Generally, Patronuses do not change but when witches or wizards undergo huge changes as people, their Patronuses change accordingly as Tonks’ did when she fell in love with Remus Lupin and took on the shape of a wolf akin to Lupin’s Patronus of a wolf.
‘Tonks’s Patronus has changed its form,’ he told him. ‘Snape said so, anyway. I didn’t know that could happen. Why would your Patronus change?’Lupin took his time chewing his turkey and swallowing before saying slowly, ‘Sometimes … a great shock … an emotional upheaval …’‘It looked big, and it had four legs,’ said Harry, struck by a sudden thought and lowering his voice. ‘Hey … it couldn’t be –?’
– Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
People who are also Animagi have Patronuses which are their Animagus form, a stag for James Potter, wolf for Lupin and cat for Professor McGonagall.
Find your Patronus here.
So if you’re a little disappointed because your Patronus wasn’t a particularly dazzling creature you should know that a legendary young wizard Illyius once fought off a dawning army of Dementors with his Patronus which took the shape of a mouse.
I got the cuddly St.Bernard as my guardian-protector. Tell us what you got in the comments below!