Dementors -- talking?

[Cindy C.]

No: HPFGUIDX 28899

Megan wrote:

>  One has to question the wisdom of having dementors in Azkaban in
> first place.  They don't seem to talk, communicate, or ever really
> think.  What kind of creatures are these?  Are they really alive 
(like
> viruses :-D)?  They also don't seem to follow orders very well.  


It's probably not cool to be a fan of the dementors, but they are 
almost as mysterious as Snape (I said "almost", Tabouli <bg>).  They 
apparently have three operating modes -- kissing, happiness-draining 
and . . . inert.  Fudge is able to walk around with dementors as 
bodyguards and visit with them at Azkaban without collapsing, 
conjuring Patronuses every few minutes, or munching chocolate, so 
dementors must be able to turn their powers on only when needed.  
There's no suggestion, IIRC, that either McGonagal or Snape is 
affected by the dementor that sweeps down on Crouch Jr.

Also, in the Pensieve, the dementors bring in the four DEs, including 
Crouch's son.  It is not until they are convicted and Crouch's son 
starts to resist the dementors that they start draining him:  "But 
the boy was trying to fight off the dementors, even though Harry 
could see their cold, draining power *starting* to affect him."  That 
sounds like they begin to use their power to drain when it is 
appropriate -- after there has been a trial (of sorts) and conviction.

This seems at odds with Lupin's dementor speech:  "Get too near a 
dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked 
out of you."  It sounds like Lupin's explanation is incomplete, 
because something more than proximity is required for one's happiness 
to be drained.  

As for whether dementors think and take direction well, there might 
be a clue here.  We've debated many times whether the dementors 
intended to kiss Harry, and if so, why.  I won't dredge it up all 
over again but . . . well . . . Fudge is "tight" with the dementors.  
He's also the Minister of Magic.   So . . . maybe dementors follow 
orders perfectly well and know exactly what they're doing, and maybe 
they attacked Harry on Fudge's orders.  We'll see.

Cindy (who can't decide if Patronuses or dementors are more 
interesting)