Patronus

• patronus

From Latin patrōnus (“protector”). A reference to J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series; the term first appears in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999). Doublet of padrone, patron, and pattern.

Patronus (plural Patronuses)

1. A person considered one’s protector.
   • 2017, Luvvie Ajayi, “Know Your Worth”, in Beverly Bond, editor, Black Girls Rock!: Owning Our Magic. Rocking Our Truth., 37 INK/Atria Books, →ISBN, page 64, column 2:

     Black women are my patronus, and surrounding myself with villages of black women has been my biggest form of self-care.

   • 2017, W. Kamau Bell, “My Awkward Joking Around with the KKK”, in The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama’s Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian‎^[1], Dutton, →ISBN:

     The day after the last episode of Totally Biased aired in November 2013, I found out that the head of MSNBC was interested in meeting with me. Rachel Maddow, who I consider my Patronus, had set it up.

   • 2017, Susan Dennard, “Acknowledgments”, in Windwitch‎^[2], Tor, published 2018, →ISBN:

     For my dear, dear #Witchlanders, you are my patronus. Real talk here: you are my guardians against the darkness. You’re the reason I keep writing every day, the reason I didn’t give up even when this book almost killed me, the reason I want to tell this story at all.

   • 2019, Rafi Mittlefehldt, chapter IX, in What Makes Us, Candlewick Press, →ISBN, page 132:

     That’s what I love about her: she confronts her fears. She’s my Patronus.

   • 2019, James Brandon, “Acknowledgments”, in Ziggy, Stardust and Me‎^[3], G. P. Putnam’s Sons, published 2022:

     My Patronus Agent Gemini Twin, Barbara Poelle: For never giving up on me.

   • 2020, Bethany C. Morrow, A Song Below Water‎^[4], Tor Teen, published 2021, →ISBN:

     She’s my patronus. When I can’t deal with real life, I escape into her virtual space, where everything is perfectly lit, perfectly coifed, and perfectly accompanied by neo-soul music I never hear anywhere but natural hair videos and the beauty supply shop.

   • 2020, Ashley Poston, Bookish and the Beast (Once Upon a Con), Quirk Books, →ISBN, page 242:

     Then Quinn, my friend, my confidant, my Patronus, outstretches the microphone and drops it onto his chest.

   • 2020, Lavnya Krishnamurthy, I Prescribe Love‎^[5], Inkstate Books, →ISBN:

     ‘Avinash when and how are you… Oh, sorry I will come back later.’ Seriously, Gautham? You couldn’t have come like, five minutes ago when this drama queen was on a roll? Suddenly feeling okay, I backed out of his arms and looked in the direction of my Patronus. ‘Oh, no it’s fine Gautham! Shwetha and I were just talking.’

   • 2021, VeeKay, Runa: Fleeting Thoughts Collected‎^[6], →ISBN:

     The screen came alive with a little ‘Hi’ / I knew you were my patronus

   • 2021, Garrett Leigh, Unforgotten‎^[7], Carina Press, →ISBN:

     We rode all the way to the lake, and because Billy was my Patronus, he rode straight past the picnic benches and into the hidden glade only locals knew about.

   • 2021 November 26, Kelaine Conochan, “Badwater ultramarathon: What I lost and found during 135 miles of the world's most impossible run”, in ESPN‎^[8], archived from the original on 26 November 2021; published in J.A. Adande, editor, The Year’s Best Sports Writing 2022‎^[9], Triumph Books, 2022, →ISBN:

     Since then, Jimmie joined my relay team, and the rest is history. I’m convinced he’s my patronus. I need his fire, jokes and brotherly love to get across Death Valley.

2. Something associated with a person, usually an animal.
   • 2016, Lila Monroe, Head Over High Heels‎^[10]:

     When I’ve got something good between my teeth, I shake it until it gives in. My Patronus is a terrier. It’s like I can see the glinting prize at the end of the race, far in the distance.

   • 2019, Lucy Lakestone, Bohemia Chills‎^[11], Velvet Petal Press, →ISBN:

     Rocking jeans and a sinfully tight black T-shirt with a cartoon of a cute sea cow that said “My Patronus Is a Manatee,” Landon walked the few steps to the truck.

   • 2020, Laura Jensen Walker, Murder Most Sweet: A Bookish Baker Mystery‎^[12], Crooked Lane Books, →ISBN:

     “Do you like Chinese food?” “Love it. Peking duck is my Patronus. I didn’t realize there was a Chinese restaurant in town, however.”

   • 2020, Sanchi, “Sanchi”, in Krittika Pahwa, compiler, The Edge of Seventeen, The Little Booktique Hub, →ISBN, page 44:

     I am 16 years old. My patronus is a unicorn and I literally talk to moon and love the croissant crescent. I love to talk about fireflies, stars and books.

   • 2020, Kendra Adachi, “Build the Right Routines”, in The Lazy Genius Way: Embrace What Matters, Ditch What Doesn’t, and Get Stuff Done, WaterBrook, →ISBN, page 83:

     I’d purposely go slowly rather than rushing through it since the speed of my body often affects the speed of my brain.* […] * I’m pretty sure my Patronus is a feral cat.

   • 2021, S. K. Ali, Misfit in Love, Salaam Reads, →ISBN, pages 120–121:

     I look at the trees and think, Yes, I do like trees the way Nuah described me to Khadija. They’ve been around for millions of years, seen tons of crap, and still stand strong and graceful, sure of their worth to the world. “Fighting makes you smile, huh?” Layth says, interrupting my trees-are-my-Patronus aha moment.

   • 2021, Jennie Marts, Rescuing Harmony Ranch‎^[13], Hallmark Publishing, →ISBN:

     She was dressed in cropped jeans and a pastel pink T-shirt that read, “A Bookworm is my Patronus.”

   • 2021, Shraddha Jha, “Shraddha Jha”, in Mathumitha. R, Subliminal Stitches, Verses Kindler Publication, →ISBN, page 98:

     Three words sum up all things I love deeply – Books, Places, Food. And ‘Chai’ is my Patronus.

   • 2021, Jennie Marts, When a Cowboy Loves a Woman‎^[14], Sourcebooks Casablanca, →ISBN:

     She wore khaki shorts, scuffed hiking boots, and a lavender T-shirt with an open book on the front that read My patronus is a bookworm.

   • 2022, Alena Rehse, “You Changed Me”, in Turtles & Paperclips: My Thoughts On You, BoD – Books on Demand, →ISBN, section IV (Saving), page 59:

     Falling for you / Did me good / I swear it did // You changed my attitude / My patronus / And my life // You changed me [an illustration of a Patronus-like dog]