Over Kill with Dementors

[annemehr]

No: HPFGUIDX 98119

Kneasy: 
> But to those who are fully paid up members of the League of
> Conspiracy Theorists  (Paranoia Chapter) a more entertaining
> explanation springs to mind.

Annemehr:
You're corrupting me, you know that, don't you?

Kneasy:
> If the Dementors were attracted by the large crowd, why did
> they concentrate solely on Harry?

Annemehr:
Because (IMPersonalO), it was the one from the train which was able to
sense Harry as he flew out above the grounds.  That one really *likes*
Harry.  Thinks he's *tasty* -- certainly more so than any other
Hogwarts students, none of whom fainted.  The other dementors sensed
its interest and followed suit.

Kneasy:
> Again, after they all leave the Shrieking Shack the Dementors
> turn up again. [...] Even so it is Harry that
> the Dementors concentrate on, ignoring Sirius:
> "The Dementors were closing in,  barely ten feet from
> them. They formed a solid wall around Harry and Hermione,
> and were getting closer...."

Annemehr:
Yep, and that one that tried to kiss Harry -- the train one again.

Kneasy:
> It also begs the
> question - how was it that they didn't have the same effect
> on Sirius while he was supposedly escaping from Azkaban?

Annemehr:
I don't know, but I always supposed that in Azkaban, their influence
on Sirius was diluted by the presence of hundreds of other prisoners,
whereas by the lake the few people there got a stronger blast.  Not
that this disproves any of your theory, of course.

Kneasy:
> I  use the word "supposedly" deliberately.
<snip>
> To  those  of a suspicious nature it all seems a bit too
> convenient. Suppose Sirius didn't fool his captors but was
> allowed to escape, thus giving Fudge an excuse to send 
> the Dementors to Hogwarts. Where - surprise, surprise, 
> they ignore Sirius and concentrate on Harry. 
> But not by accident. Harry is the priority target.
<snip>
> On the surface PoA is an atypical book. It's the only one
> in the series where Harry is not threatened by Voldy or one
> of his minions. Or is it? The only difficulty is in deciding who
> is the baddy -  Sirius or Fudge? Or both?

Annemehr:
In that case, my money would be on Fudge. I'd guess he's not a DE, but
an evil unto himself, but who knows?

Was the dementor supposed to do Harry in right on the train?  Without
Lupin there, it certainly could have.  I imagine, if dementors are
feeding on the horrible memories they evoke, that they are somewhat
telepathic and can hear what their victim hears.  That would mean that
the dementor could recognise Harry if it had been told his story. 
Then -- a tragic accident, who could have forseen it? -- Harry's history.

This gives Harry a new enemy, the dementor.  Even if Fudge (or
whoever) sicced it on Harry on the train, it is now after him for
unpleasant reasons of its own.  It tried again at the Quidditch match
and by the lake, and -- who knows? -- maybe it even volunteered for
duty at Privet Drive?

Annemehr
off to sleep on it and think if there's a likely plotline for the
ugly, nasty thing