Quote from The Gestalt Prince on December 6, 2022, 9:00 pm

In the books and films, we see that certain characters are heavily connected to specific animals; this is most true when it comes to major characters from the Marauders era (the Marauders, Lily, Severus, etc.), as well as those who are connected in some way to them. Now, James's and Lily's Patronus forms are male and female deer (stag ad doe); meanwhile, Lily and Severus have identical Patronus forms. Among the interpretations of this phenomena are the following (although not exact):

1. James and Lily complement one another.
   1. Severus is obsessed with Lily.
   2. Severus mourns Lily.
   3. Severus finds his strength in Lily, similar to how Harry finds his strength in his father.
   4. Etc.
2. James and Lily's Patronus forms reflect their personalities; however, the forms of their Patronuses may be based on their mutual attraction, and might take on different animal forms with similar behaviors.

Now one curious thing is that Severus's Patronus takes the form of a doe, a female animal. This has been interpreted in one of the ways listed above as Severus relying on Lily, rather than himself, for his happiness and inner goodness; some see this as obsessive behavior, some see it as selfless, some see it as mourning and grief, there are a few ways to read it. We also know that Tonks's Patronus reflects Remus near the end of her life, but whether the wolf is male or female is unknown, as it's harder to tell than between a male and female deer.

I'm going to argue that the Patronus reflects the individual not in form, but in nature. Not the sex or type of the animal, but how that animal behaves. I'm going to try to showcase this.

• James's Patronus and Animagus form is a large stag, a male red deer; it's interesting that Rowling lists it as a stag and not a buck, the name for the male deer of just about every other deer species, but that's not that important. One thing of note is that male deer don't take part in caring for the young, and primary wander around their territory either to ward off threats or to find other mates. Typically, the deer, in this case the stag or buck, is heavily associated with hunting; however, it is specifically reserved for royalty.
  • One parallel we can draw to James is that, when cooped up and in hiding with Lily and Harry, he is notably restless and eager to go back out in the fight. And, when Voldemort arrives, his instinct is to charge the Dark Lord instead of trying to flee with his family, even while unarmed. Another parallel is the stag's royal connotations; not only is James a pureblood, but he has also shown to be egotistical and very much the one in command in his social group.
  • Harry doesn't necessarily resemble a stag, but instead resembles his father (minus some of the more negative traits). The form of his Patronus reflects the newfound bond and strength he finds in his father based on what Sirius and Remus tell him, and they act as a tangible tie to him. It's interesting that, as the stag or buck is reserved to be hunted by royalty, that Lord Voldemort insists on personally killing not only Harry, but also James (another stag) and Lily Potter (the doe in Voldemort's way).
• Lily's Patronus is a doe, a female deer (not a female red deer, which is a hind). The doe acts as the sole parent of the fawn, raising it for about one year before the fawn leaves and never sees its mother again. During this parenting period, the mother is known to lick its offspring until they have no scent, which acts as a protection against predators.
  • Lily has a few parallels with the doe. She raises Harry for about one year before she is murdered, and Harry never sees her again. She is also the one whose love protects Harry from Voldemort, and it is the protection her blood provides that allows Harry to remain safe and hidden while living with the Dursleys.
  • Severus, while not pleasant, is also someone in Harry's life who tries to protect him at every possible moment, albeit from the shadows. While he hates James, he loves Lily, which is his motivation for seeking Dumbledore's help in protecting and concealing Lily and her family. One notable scene regarding his protectiveness over Harry, despite not particularly liking the boy, is when Dumbledore reveals Harry's nature as a Horcrux; he has spent his entire adult life protecting the son of the woman he loves, and his Patronus of a protective mother is a testament to that.
• Remus's Patronus is a wolf, which is fairly obvious due to his condition. A few things to note about wolves is that they are social animals; the exception is the lone wolf, although their loneliness is temporary, as they will seek another pack to belong to. They are also fairly transient, going from place to place to survive. They are also monogamous.
  • Remus's connections to the wolf are noticeable, as he could be considered a bit of an outsider due to his condition and finds his pack in the form of the Marauders and the Order of the Phoenix. However, after the Potter murders, Remus finds himself alone once more, and by the time we see his first appearance in PoA, he is worn down, wearing sub-par clothing, and tired looking. He eventually returns to the pack, this time with a new generation and new faces, one of whom becomes his wife and the mother of his son.
  • I mention Remus because I want to talk about Tonks and her Patronus change from the hare (jackrabbit) to the wolf. Now, I will say that Tonks's Patronus doesn't fit too well with her personality aside from the fact that hares are monogamous as well.
• Sirius's Patronus is non-corporeal as far as we know for certain; however, if following the pattern of James and Remus having Patronuses that match their Animagi forms, then it could be safe to say that Sirius's Patronus would match his Animagus form if he managed to make it corporeal. Dogs, like wolves, are social animals, and are known for their loyalty to their master. They also undergo separation anxiety, which can manifest as the dog exploring, playing with objects, destroying, or vocalizing.
  • Sirius is noted for his devout loyalty to James, to the point where losing him and Lily sets him on the warpath after Peter; this pursuit can be expressed as both destructive and vocal, as he is seeking to destroy Peter and, due to his fragmented sanity, implicates himself as the culprit of Peter's crimes despite talking about James and Lily.
    • A sub-point is that dogs have also been selectively bred for specific bodies and behaviors, which ties to Sirius's own pureblooded nature.
• Peter's Animagus form is a rat. Rats are social animals typically associated with intelligence, resourcefulness, and survival, all traits that Peter showcases. He seeks powerful social groups for self-preservation, he has a hidden amount of intellect, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to survive.

This is what I can think of so far in terms of animal imagery, and anyone who agrees or disagrees is free to comment down below to help me fill some information that I might be missing.