Boggarts 'n' such

[grey_wolf_c]

No: HPFGUIDX 33008

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "blenberry" <blenberry at a...> wrote:
> Yikes, I'm getting all confused about this boggart theory.  It seems 
> odd that Harry would be affected *more* by a dementor that he *knows* 
> is fake (the boggart) than by one he believes is real (Malfoy and 
> friends).  Is the difference just that the boggart is magical? if so, 
> does that mean boggarts take on the powers of the thing they appear 
> to be?  Which brings us back to the earlier question of why Lupin is 
> not affected by the boggart in the shape of the moon.  
> 
> I'm leaning towards the theory that boggarts do take on properties 
> and abilities of what they resemble;  thus, their effect on Harry 
> (and the classroom lights) as a dementor.  However, Lupin's 
> experience and knowledge allow him to counteract the moon-boggart's 
> effects on himself.

Well, I get the sensation that the boggart and the dementor have very 
similar powers: the dementor is mainly fear ("The thing you most fear 
is fear itself" told Lupin to Harry), and the boggart draws on the 
worst fear of the creture it's facing, which means it has to have some 
sort of power which reads minds and possibly influences it. The 
conclusion is that, since their powers are remarkably similar, the 
boggart can copy not only the dementor's image but a mesure of it's 
powers as well. However, I don't think it becomes a dementor in full - 
it's still posible to combat it with the "Ridikulos" (sp?) spell. Lupin 
and Harry just choose to use the Patronus spell to practice without 
using a real dementor.

The rest of the theory, I'm not so sure about it. If it did posses the 
powers of the creature it transformed itself in, it would be 
increadibly powerful: it would posses the mummy's rot, the venom of the 
giant spider, and dragon's breath. If a single Ridikulos had missed, 
they would have been killed, or in very serious trouble (and we're 
talking about 12-13 year old boys).

Hope that helps

Grey Wolf
(He who has decided that, since many people here seem to like his 
traditional last phrase "hope that helps", he'll continue to use it)