Severus Snape ’s doe Patronus inHarry Potterrevealed that he had been in sexual love with Lily Potter and was the one who helped Harry determine the Sword of Gryffindor , but its signification go far deeply than that . The moment the prof showed Albus Dumbledore the form of his apparitional defender is among the most iconic scenes of theHarry Potterseries , especially couple with player Alan Rickman ’s aroused delivery of the simple line " always . " However , the context of use of the books expose howthe conniption of Snape ’s Patronus reveal contained several layers of symbolismand heavily impacted Harry ’s story .

Harry first learn aboutPatronuses inHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , but the movies simplified the explanation of how this spell worked . Only unfeignedly gifted wizards could give rise a fully corporeal Patronus — most could only utter a silvery mist from their wands . Moreover , a wizard could not choose the shape their Patronus would take , but the animal would always have rich tie-in with that wizard ’s someone . This stand for that a Patronus could switch as a soul ’s worked up state of matter changed — an substantive detail that theHarry Pottermovies go forth out .

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a composite image of Harry Potter looking sternly at the camera in front of Voldemort flicking his wand and Ron and Hermione looking determined from Harry Potter

Snape’s Patronus Was Definitive Proof That He Was On Dumbledore’s Side

Snape’s Doe Patronus Held A Key Narrative Reveal

The fact that a person ’s Patronus could change is significant to Severus Snape ’s tale and is precisely why the emotional wallop of the Energy Department disclose inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallowswas lessened in the picture . Even the most powerful wizard can not control what form their Patronus will take , and the silvery defender are , in their nature , anti - darkness devices .

This is why Dumbledore had theOrder of the Phoenix membersuse their Patronuses to communicate — they always knew exactly who their messages were coming from and that they had n’t been tampered with by Death Eaters . Therefore , when Snape cast his Patronus after Dumbledore question why he care that Harry would have to give his life to check Voldemort , it was a definitive way of examine that he was entirely on the side of trade good .

InHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Dumbledore explained to Harry that his dead have sex ones never really left him and that when he cast his hart Patronus , it was , in a way , his Fatherhood appearing to protect him . If this same logic is applied to Snape , his Patronus changing into the same form that Lily ’s used to take was proof that she was still with him — and that could only be truthful if he were genuinely determined to protect her boy .

Harry potter Snape First Line Revealed His Real Lily Potter problem

Throughout the Harry Potter floor , Professor Snape carries a heartrending secret - something revealed in the fiber ’s very last lineage .

The Form Of Snape’s Patronus Proved He Accepted Lily’s Choices

Snape Wasn’t As Bitter As He Seemed

Snape ’s Patronus was a doe , the same as Lily Potter ’s . However , it ’s never open if this had always been the compositor’s case or if her silverish shielder had changed when she fall in sexual love . Given that inHarry Potter and the Half - Blood Prince , Tonks ' Patronus was let on to have changed into a beast when she hang in love life with Remus Lupin , it ’s a reasonably good assumption that something like happened to Lily . Since James ' Patronus andAnimagus formwas a hart , Lily ’s became a doe to complement it — very romantic .

Of course , it is dry that Snape ’s Patronus would also take the form that congratulate that of his old enemy . TheHarry Potterseries makes it readable that the Potions Master scorn James Potter so much that he could never add himself to treat Harry with benignity . However , the fact that his Patronus changed into a doe betoken some stage of acceptance . It ’s unclear when this change happen , but since Dumbledore was surprised by the Department of Energy , this could mean that it was only recently .

Snape never got over his hatred of James , butif his Patronus changed into the configuration that Lily ’s had taken only when she fall in sexual love , it would mean that he had come in to take the pick that she had made . By this point , he knew that he had been unseasonable to pick out Dark thaumaturgy over his love for her , andSnape regret the function his bad mistakeplayed in her demise until the daytime he himself was killed . His hatred for James was still there , but his doe Patronus was state to Lily , " I take on that you did n’t take me , and I am go to protect your son anyway . "

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley looking at a crystal ball in Harry Potter.

Snape, Lily, & James’ Patronuses Mirror Their Roles In Harry’s Lives

The fact that James , Lily , and Snape all had variations of the same Patronus was no conjunction . Patronuses are guardians and guardian , and that ’s precisely the function each of these characters play in Harry ’s living . Then , Harry ’s own Patronus took on this figure . Because he had been protected by these three , he could protect the rest of the wizarding universe .

This becomes even more impactful when remembering , for better or spoilt , Voldemort would have never been defeated if it was n’t for James , Lily , and Snape . Though no one could have known it , the Dark Lord ’s ruination commence the 24-hour interval that Snape and Lily met when they were shaver and took several pace forward when the duo met James Potter on the Hogwarts Express . Snape ’s hate for James drove him tobecome a Death Eater , but his love for Lily brought him back again . Then , the sacrifices of all three take into account Harry to overcome Lord Voldemort inHarry Potter — and their Patronuses perfectly mull this .

What Patronuses Say About Other Characters

Snape’s Doe Patronus Isn’t The Only One That Reveals Key Details

Expecto Patronum is one of the most narratively significant spells in theHarry Potterfranchise , and not just because it ’s how Harry ultimately wards off the Dementors inHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . Much like Snape ’s doe Patronus reveals a fair few hidden detail about the potion ’s professor , thePatronuses of manyHarry Pottercharactersgive away various aspects of them that are n’t directly say elsewhere .

For example , Ron and Hermione ’s Patronuses are a Jack Russell terrier and otter , respectively . Ron ’s dog Patronus reveal just how loyal he truly is , and that his dedication to Harry and the fight against Voldemort should never really have been in question(even when he waver duringHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).Hermione ’s otter Patronus is a contemplation of her intellect , but also the fact she is both caring and unsafe . For all that they ’re adorable , cuddly , and known for how close they are to their mates , otters are predatory animal and can be ferocious .

Other Patronuses inHarry Potteralso put up hint about how knock-down a witch or wizard is . A primal example of this is themuch - loathe opponent Dolores Umbridge . The extent of Umbridge ’s power is never to the full divulge , though at one point she ’s shown to certify multiple cat Patronuses , and does n’t seem to need much concentration to maintain them . Umbridge is the only character who is seen summon more than one Patronus , and the fact she ’s able to do so with ostensibly little effort breath that she ’s likely among the most sinewy Witches inHarry Potter(which helps explain how she rose through the ranks of the Ministry of Magic so easy ) .

A blended image features Severus Snape and a doe patronus

Snape ’s doe Patronus reveals just how loyal a character reference to Dumbledore and to Harry he really was . His is one of several Patronuses that come out inHarry Potter , and it ’s unmortgaged upon examining them that each reveals some pocket-size but decisive information about the graphic symbol who summoned them .

Lily and James Potter dancing together in Harry Potter

A blended image features James Potter, Severus Snape, and Lily Potter in the Harry Potter movies

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