Find out what Patronuses the Hypable staff members got in J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore quiz, and whether it matches their expectations.
By now, most Harry Potter fans have taken the official Patronus quiz on Pottermore.com. We’ve seen a huge variety of results, ranging from sparrows, cats, and dogs to rhinos and orangutans — and a select few even got a magical creature like a unicorn or a dragon.
There have been a wide variety of reactions from fans, too. While the quiz itself is a thrilling visual experience, many people were left confused, or even disappointed (like Evanna Lynch was!) with their result.
We thought it’d be fun to compile a list of all the Hypable staff members’ Patronuses, and find out whether we feel they represent us and/or matched our expectations.
Ariana Quiñónez — Occamy
“I didn’t know what an occamy was, but when I looked it up I found out that it is basically a grumpy flying snake thing that does NOT like it when you mess with its eggs. So, yeah, pretty accurate. #slytherintribe”
(Note: An occamy is also a magical creature, and a very rare result!)
Andrew Sims — West Highland Terrier
“I find it too perfect that my Patronus is a cute little doggie — my own pup brings me lots of joy daily. Watching the terrier prance around the Pottermore website is just too fun — you’re telling me this cutie will defend me? All right, fine. I hope he can kill Dementors with Cuteness Overload. I know most dog owners feel the same way about their dogs bringing them joy, and for that reason I do feel a tad disappointed that my Patronus isn’t something more unique so I could’ve answered this question on a deeper level.”
Brandi Delhagen — Black Swan
“It was weird at first, because all I could picture was Natalie Portman in her creepy black outfit, but after looking into it, I got very interested! Black swans are water birds and graceful fliers. They’re even a bit musical. I’m a happy black swan.”
Caitlin Kelly — Tortoiseshell Cat
“I’m not a cat person and I’m allergic to cats, so I was initially unhappy with the result, but talking to a few people, I’ve been told I have a rather cat-like personality, so go figure. I also saw that in folklore, tortoiseshell cats are believed to bring good luck and have strong personalities so that made me feel a bit better with the result.”
Donya Abramo — Lynx
“A lynx is basically a giant fluffball of a cat, with oversized paws that it looks like it might constantly trip over. It’s pretty adorable — but also vicious, as big cats tend to be — and is apparently a keeper of secrets in its symbolism. As a ‘Puff through and through, and someone pretty devoted to my friends, I feel as though that’s fairly apt. (Though, I got a Dragon on my second account, which I can’t say I’m disappointed with, as it’s the creature representative of my homeland, Wales. Hilariously, it is the only difference between my accounts. I’m oddly consistent, it would seem.)”
John Thrasher — Red Squirrel
“I was surprised to get a red squirrel because I don’t think of squirrels as representing me or my personality. I’ve always felt that my Patronus is a hawk because my brother’s real name is Hawk, and I have such love and emotion for him, and what that animal has represented to him and our family. I was hoping to at least get a bird, but am learning to love my furry, cute Patronus.”
Michal Schick — Hyena
“My Patronus surprised me a lot. I had always imagined my Patronus as an elephant, and I’m pretty confident that hyenas eat elephants? But I do like meat, and I do laugh pretty loudly — plus hyenas have cat-like qualities, which I appreciate.”
Selina Wilken — Pine Marten (above)
“First of all, I just want to express my indignation that I got the same Patronus as J.K. Rowling — only to find out that she took the quiz again (which no one else is allowed to do, btw) and got a heron instead! Thanks, Jo. But then it was pointed out to me that Lyra’s Daemon in His Dark Materials also takes this shape, so it’s all good. I was fully expecting to get a cat, though, so the answer definitely surprised me, but considering that the pine marten is closely related to otters and weasels, it totally makes sense. After all, like Hermione Granger, I am deeply devoted to the Weasley family.”
Sonya Field — Rottweiler
“My Patronus is a Rottweiler. I always considered myself to be more of a cat person, but I did have a Rottweiler growing up, so *shrug*.”
Tariq Kyle — Mongrel Dog
“I feel like the mongrel dog represents me based on the animation of it being a fun, happy dog. Upon doing research I found out that a mongrel dog is just like a mutt, though, so I don’t know how I feel about that — but I am also divided between Slytherin and Hufflepuff, so I feel like that’s pretty accurate.”
What does your Patronus quiz result mean?
Credit: Zenology
Clearly, most Hypable staff members were surprised with their Patronus, but managed to find some meaning in the result by researching the animal and identifying traits within themselves that somehow matched. (Hey, it’s kind of like reading a horoscope — anything fits if you really want it to!)
Via Pottermore, J.K. Rowling has released some additional information about the Patronus charm that may help enlighten those of you who are similarly puzzled with your result:
“No reliable system for predicting the form of an individual’s Patronus has ever been found, although the great eighteenth-century researcher of Charms, Professor Catullus Spangle, set forth certain principles that are widely accepted as true.
The Patronus, asserted Spangle, represents that which is hidden, unknown but necessary within the personality. ‘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,’ he writes.
Here, says Spangle, is the explanation for the appearance of Patronuses in forms that their casters might not expect, for which they have never felt a particular affinity, or (in rare cases) even recognise.”
In the Harry Potter series, some characters’ Patronuses make more sense than others’. Ginny Weasley’s Patronus being a horse, for example, requires some deep character analysis, while Harry’s stag is pretty straightforward.
In the cases where a Patronus takes the shape of the caster’s favorite animal, Spangle theorizes that it indicates an “eccentricity” or “obsession,” such as a deep connection to another human, as in the case of Snape’s doe and Tonks’ werewolf.
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