Patronus question...shouldn't be spoilerish

[plunkybug]

Ok, so I am rewatching the Harry Potter movies, though I realized tonight I don't have Chamber of Secrets on dvd for some reason. Anyhow, so skipping Chamber of Secrets I am continuing on to Prisoner of Azkaban. I just rewatched the scene where Lupin is showing Harry how to make a partonus charm, using the boggart to replace the real dementor...

So then, if the incantation for a boggart is "riddikulus" and thinking something funny, how come the patronus charm worked on the boggart dementor instead of the "riddikulus" incantation?

Comments

[wundermuffin.livejournal.com]

i think that the patronus scared the crap out of the boggart. that's how i always understood it anyway - the boggart saw the patronus coming straight for it and was like "AAAAH!"

[plunkybug.livejournal.com]

Maybe also that the patronus works on them as well, but the "riddikulus" charm is a lower level incantation whereas the patronus charm is highly advanced?

[wundermuffin.livejournal.com]

i wonder if a patronus charm would work on a non-dementor boggart. like what about snape dressed in neville's grandma's clothes?

[plunkybug.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that is my thinking...that "riddikulus" is a low level incantaion and the patronus is simply a highr level skill, but still effective.