what exactly ARE dementors??

[Diana]

No: HPFGUIDX 136044

Troels Forchhammer wrote:
> If you wish to get at it, the same problem exists for most of the 
other magical races: there is no indication of how Peeves came about 
(except that he never lived), or how the house elves, the centaurs, 
the goblins or whatever came about. 

Diana:
Actually, poltergeists (which is what Peeves is) are believed to 
form around adolescents/teenagers due to the massive angst, 
hormones, mood swings and high engergy emitted throughout puberty.  
Some scientists believe they are literally balls of energy formed 
from the free-floating anxiety that permeates puberty and that that 
energy manifests itself by moving (usually, violently) objects and 
creating mayhem.  Other scientists believe that tweens undergoing 
puberty attract 'restless' entities that find all the energy being 
emitted by the changing bodies exciting and that they end up moving 
objects and causing mayhem because of the stimulation.  There's 
probably at least a dozen more theories about poltergeists out there 
in scientific and paranormal journals.  I really like how JKR 
touched upon this 'side-effect' of puberty by adding Peeves to the 
Potterverse.
JKR said in her Mugglenet/Leaky Cauldron interview that, despite 
what Filch thinks, Dumbledore couldn't get rid of Peeves even if he 
tried.  A thousand children and teenagers crammed into one castle, a 
magical one no less, is going to produce enormous currents of 
adolescent angst and pubescent energy.  It's no wonder Peeves is 
brightly colored and boisterous - he's got more energy being poured 
into his existence than the electrical system lighting up New 
York!  :)

Troels Forchhammer wrote:
> In a few cases, such as e.g. the basilisk, we get information 
about the creation process, but in most cases these creatures merely 
inhabit this world: they are ancienct and 'came about' in the same 
way as the humans that inhabit it: through the imagination of the 
author. 

Diana:
Many of the creatures in the Potterverse are taken from mythical 
beasts or from works of literature.  The actual myths surrounding 
each beast will usually, but not always, explain the creatures' 
origins.  There are even conflicting orgin stories for some 
creatures.  JKR made her own changes to each creature we hear about 
in detail in order to suit the needs of the story she's telling, so 
the myths may not match up, of course.  
(Everyone probably already knows about and has this book, 
and "Quidditch Through the Ages", but I thought I'd mention it in 
case some had not.)  I'd recommend reading JK Rowlings 
book "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", which she wrote as 
if it were Harry's book - complete with Harry's scribblings in it.  
This book was done for charity a few years ago.  It gives all kinds 
of fun and interesting details about the non-human creatures in the 
Potterverse.   

Troels Forchhammer wrote:
> I think we need to realise that however much we might wish it were 
different, there are a lot of things in Potterverse that just are. 
They are because Rowling has imagined them to be part of this world, 
but within the story there is no explanation of how they come to be. 

Diana: 
Ah, if only we could all chant "I do believe in magic!", ala Peter 
Pan bringing Tinkerbell back to life, making the Potterverse come to 
life.  Guess we'll just have to settle for the books and our 
imaginations.  :) 

Diana L.