Dementors question

[corinthum]

No: HPFGUIDX 56676

Kristen wondered:

> What good would the 
> Lestranges be to LV after spending all this time in Azkaban?
...
> Do you all think the Death Eaters were allowed to keep their sanity 
> and their wits?  This doesn't seem the case from the account of 
> Crouch Jr. there.  On the other hand, is it possible for dementors to 
> take the life force they have sucked in and pass it on to someone 
> else or restore it to the original person?  Or do you think that's a 
> little too much B Horror Movie-esque (Night of the Living Dead)?

Me:

I don't think the Dementors' effect is permanent.  We haven't seen
anyone outside the immediate presence of the dementors showing any
long-term aftereffects.  Certainly, it takes a few minutes at the
least (for example, Harry's brief encounters) to recover, and recovery
time is probably proportional to the length of time in the dementors'
presence.  But, as exampled by Hagrid and Crouch Jr. (and arguably
Sirius), and possibly Karkaroff (we really don't know whether he spent
a substantial amount of time in Azkaban before and/or after his
appearance in court), wizards can recover completely once removed from
the immediate vicinity of the dementors.  Sirius' own post-traumatic
symptoms are more likely the effect of losing his best friend,
discovering another friend was responsible, being wrongly
incarcerated, etc.

In reply, Cathy wrote:

> If the LeStranges aren't insane, I think it is because of
> something similar - except that their thoughts are probably pure
>evil,rather than thoughts of innocence.

And Samantha similarly commented:

> Another wild theory perhaps some DE's like the Lestranges are so
>evil they might actually thrive in such a place (at least their evil
>intentions might thrive).

Me:

Now, I'd be very disappointed if this were true.  That is, if the
Lestanges were "pure evil".  I love JKR's villains because they are
realistic characters.  Even Voldemort has been given a motivation for
his actions.  I fully expect the Lestranges to have their own
justification for their actions.  No one is evil just for the sake of
being evil, and even the most ruthless of criminals rarely consider
his or herself to be so.

Samantha also wrote:

> Perhaps the Lestranges & other DE's feel
> perfectly just in their actions, therefore the Dementors would not
>effect them.

Me again:

But wouldn't that be a happy thought?  Not to an outsider, of course,
but to the Lestranges themselves.  Theoretical Mrs. Lestrange has
already voiced her expectation of reward when Voldemort rises again. 
She seemed perfectly content to wait and endure Azkaban.  Key word:
content.  I don't think the dementors care whether the happiness has a
good, wholesome source, or a dark, evil motivation.  Happiness is
happiness, and they'll take what they can get.


-Corinth, who desperately wants the air conditioning in her lab to be
repaired.