Dementor question

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 78592

Michael Gidlow wrote:
> Were they allied with Voldemort during his first rise to power 
> (before Harry was born)? 

There is no clear canon about it. Dumbledore speaks, in GoF, of the 
dementors as "creatures who will join [Voldemort] the instant he asks 
them". There has been no indication that they were part of last war 
(unlike, say, the giants) but, as you point out, they wouldn't have 
been offered to be guards of their ex-allies. We have other indirect 
evidence: in particular, what the MoM has done to the losers of the 
last war: giants were exiled, DEs summarily inprisoned (except those 
that bought their way out), etc. Dementors didn't suffer any of these 
things, so they probably weren't part of Voldemort's side then.

> Because if they were, then why were they put in charge of 
> Azakaban? Maybe they had always been guards at Azakaban and were 
> secretly allied with Voldemort.

Again, there is no canon that supports any sort of alliance. Besides, 
it doesn't seem Dementors are intelligent enough for secrect pacts. 
They operate at the basic level of "eat". They were put in Azkaban 
because they're good guards - particularly for wizards, since they 
prevent them from using magic.

I have had a theory for some time now that Dementors as guards are 
relatively new. IMO, until a few years ago, Dementors were unknown, or 
just rarely sighted. Then, there were more of them, and the wizards 
contacted them and offered the chance to be guards (and I assume an "or 
else" was involved there somehow, since the guard duty isn't very 
fullfilling for Dementors).

> And what does it mean when they are "sent for" or "sent 
> back" to Azakaban? I'm confused. Would someone shed some light on 
> this?
> 
> Michael Gidlow.

Dementors live in Azkaban, They are not allowed to roam the country, 
because of the danger they pose for the wizards. Thus, when not in duty 
for the ministry, they are supposed to stay at Azkaban and do whatever 
it is Dementors do in their free time. Dement the prisoners, I supose. 
When thay *are* in duty they have to be called from Azkaban (sent for) 
and when that duty is finished, they are sent back.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf