A Boggart's Power

[ftah3]

No: HPFGUIDX 31233

Tabby said:
>  >the Boggart can manipulate the power of the thing one fears most, 
as 
> well as appearance.  However, if that were the case, why wouldn't 
the 
> full moon that Lupin saw have the same power as the real one?  Why 
> didn't the sight of it trigger his transformation?>

Jenny said:
> This is something I have wondered about as well.  Now, Harry and 
Lupin 
> both fear things that cause involuntary physical reactions in 
them.  
> However, don't you remember in PoA that many of Harry's classmates 
> feared things that wouldn't necessarily do anything?  Aside from a 
> full moon causing a transformation or a Dementor causing whatever 
> terrible feelings it causes, what would a boggart that looks like a 
> bloody eyeball *really* do?  Or a mummy?  If a witch or wizard 
didn't 
> think to say "Riddikulus!" (I suddenly seemed to have forgotten how 
to 
> spell), does that mean that the boggart will overcome the person as 
> that which they fear, or will the person simply be overcome with 
fear 
> itself?

I wonder ~ could Harry's reaction have anything to do with either 

a) being less schooled in controlling his emotional reactions than 
Lupin (kind of like a Zen thing, whereby Lupin has gotten to where he 
can mentally tell himself "it's an illusion, it's all in my mind, I'm 
*not* sprouting fur and fangs")?  He didn't have to put so much oomph 
into the Riddikulus spell as the kids did; maybe because it's old 
hat, emotionally?

or

b) because deep down, Harry sort of wanted to hear his mother?  He 
even says so a couple of times ~ that he hoped that the fact that he 
rather wanted to hear his mother's voice didn't counteract his 
attempt to conjure the Patronus.  So maybe he allows himself to be 
affected by the Boggart ~ his emotions already heightened by fear, 
his psyche takes over and mimics the effects of a real Dementor, 
plunging him into the nightmare that was imprinted in his memory as a 
baby ~ a nightmare which, thought terrifying, is also all he has left 
of his parents' voices?

Hmm.

Mahoney