Dudley Demented (???)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 106880

Amey:
> I was reading OOtP for some nth time for clues for HBP and came 
across this:
> 
> He had run barely a dozen steps when he reached them: Dudley was 
curled up on the ground, his arms clamped over his face. A second 
Dementor was crouching low over him, gripping his wrists  in its 
slimy hands, prising them slowly almost lovingly apart, lowering its 
hooded head towards Dudley's face as though about to kiss him. 
(Dudley Demented, OOtP)
 
> "Arms clamped over his face"??? Why? How should he know that the 
Dementor is going to kiss him?  From what he says later, he didn't 
see the dementor, then how does he know to cover his face???

Jen: Well, Harry tells him a few pages earlier, in no uncertain 
terms, "DUDLEY, KEEP YOUUR MOUTH SHUT! WHATEVER YOU DO...." (OOTP, 
US, chap. 1, p.17).

I do think he listened to and believed Harry in this situation, 
despite telling his parents later that Harry was to blame. He surely 
heard the total fear in Harry's voice and even Dudley probably 
recongnized, like Harry, that Harry wasn't powerful enough to block 
the stars, moon, etc. His blame of Harry was a cover for whatever 
bad memory was revealed to him--he knows blaming Harry is a surefire 
way to get Vernon & Petunia sidetracked from questioning him.

Jen