Dementors and Squibs, esp. Figgy (was:Harry's Wand - not a coincidence?)

[princesspeaette]

No: HPFGUIDX 78800

Erin:
>But Mrs Figg lied, didn't she? If the monocle is a truth potion, 
>it's not a very good one.  Mrs. Figg didn't actually see the 
>dementors like she claimed- remember the way she stumbled over how 
>they moved?  She certainly didn't see them attack Dudley, she 
>wasn't even there at the start of the attack, she arrived 
>afterwards.  The impression I got was that squibs, like muggles, 
>can't see dementors at all, only feel them, and that Arabella had 
>been coached on what to  say.

> Susan 
>I'm sorry, but I don't think she lied.  If she did not see them, how 
>did she know that there were dementors there?  She didn't run up to 
>the boys asking what happened.  She told them what happened.  I 
>think she stumbled because she 1) felt that she failed DD 2) she is 
>only a squib in front of a wizard court.
> Just my opinion, 



I think, as Erin said, Squibs can *feel* dementors.  Since it seems 
evident Arabella Figg was raised by her wizard parents in the WW, she 
would know all about Azkaban and dementors.  So when she felt them, 
she recognized them for what they were.  Dumbledore probably warned 
her specifically about dementors, in case the left MOM control and 
rejoined Voldemort.  It would be logical for Voldemort to send them 
after Harry: muggles can't see them, they drain a wizard of his 
powers and Voldemort had no way of knowing Harry could produce a 
corporeal Patronus at that time, once they've *kissed* you, there's 
no coming back.

"This is *exactly* what Dumbledore was afraid of!" (empahasis JKR, 
OoP pg21 US hardcover)

This could either mean he was afraid of dementors, like I already 
suggested, or the more devious idea, of someone forcing Harry to do 
magic outside of school and giving Fudge the ammo to try and get him 
expelled.  Although Dumbledore manages to save the day on that one: 
Fudge has no authority to expel students.  But a conviction of 
illegal underage magic would have followed him all his life, making 
it that much harder for anyone to take him seriously.

Back to Figgy: her evidence was less than stellar.  Besides saying 
they run instead of glide, she said 

"Oh." said Mrs. Figg, the pink flush creeping up her neck now.  "They 
were big.  Big and wearing cloaks." (pg144)

No one would describe a dementor this way.  No mention of thin, or, 
more notably, hoods.  The first thing everyone says when describing 
demetors is 'hooded'.  You cannot see their faces.  You cannot see 
that they cannot see. You cannot see how they administer the 'kiss'.  
This is one of those cases where the unknown is actually less 
frightening than the reality, but even the unknown element is 
sufficently frightning to make an impact.  The flush seems to confirm 
that she is lying.  Most people who don't normally lie, do so.  Plus, 
she is lying *in court*, *under oath*.  Not many people could do 
that.  The other facts she *does* get right are ones that were very 
easily obtained from Dumbledore. 

So I think she was lying, but it was a nessecary lie.  When the 
government is corrupt, you have to work outside of it.

~Margaret