[HPforGrownups] Another Dementor question

[Melanie L Ellis]

No: HPFGUIDX 59218

On Mon, 2 Jun 2003 21:07:16 +0200 silmariel <silmariel at telefonica.net>
writes:
> 
> Melanie L Ellis:
> > Now, as for the lake scene, I'm not too sure. Maybe since Sirius 
> > did manage to stay sane, even though he is emotionally scarred from
12 
> >years in Azkaban, Harry is still a more appealing target. Or maybe
they 
> >thought they needed to get him out of the way before "kissing" Sirius,

> >although I see no indication that they are that intelligent.


Silmariel:
> I was convinced they were intelligent until you raised the subject. 
> Let me  explain. If DD thinks they can change sides, I see minds able
to 
> betray. We  don't know if they have a concept of loyalty, but they
practice 
> lies. They  can manage abstract concepts as agreements (you keep them
in 
> azkaban, so you  can nourish of them). They know what a frontier line
is (you stay 
> out of  Howgarts).
> 
> Those are examples. I hope I have not made it a mess, English is not 
> my mother  language. First post.


Me, Melanie again:

Hmmm, I can't think of an instance where they practice "lies" especially
since they don't speak. Can you elaborate?

You may be at least partially right. I'm not sure what kind of
"agreement" they have with the MoM about staying at Azkaban. The
implication certainly seems to be that they have an agreement to stay
there in exchange for feeding off the prisoner's souls. But they may be
just as much prisoners as the inmates themselves. Something along the
lines of "Stay here and you live and get nourishment. Leave without
permission, and we'll kill you." (Assuming they can be killed.)

I don't think they're all that intelligent, though, the more I think
about it. They were easily fooled not once but twice by prisoner switches
(Barty Crouch Jr and his mother; Sirius in dog form). I think the command
to stay out of Hogwarts was akin to telling a dog, "You may not come in
the house!" but they did it anyway when the temptation was too great,
just like a dog might follow a cat into the house if he's chasing it.

As for "betraying" and changing sides, it would be like tempting a dog
away from his yard with a juicy bone. Yeah, they get nourishment at
Azkaban, but Voldie can offer them treats beyond their wildest dreams.
One hopes that the interments at Azkaban have slowed down since the
Voldie power years, so they're probably getting hungry, and if he goes to
them and says, "Look what I've got!" they'll come running.


Melanie Ellis
Alabama Homeschool Message Board
http://pub77.ezboard.com/balabamahomeschoolmessageboard

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