Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. In today’s video, we’re going
to be discussing dark wizards, dementors, and how the two groups interact with one another.
More specifically, I’m going to be addressing how dark wizards like Voldemort have historically
(seemingly) been able to control the dark non-beings known as dementors. In order to
better tackle this topic- it’s important to first have a very clear understanding of
what dementors actually are- as well as how they behave.
Dementors are amortal non-beings with dark grey scabby skin. They are cloaked and can
reach up to 3 metres in height- making them exceptionally intimidating. They represent
unhappiness and despair- making them the perfect guards for the island fortress of Azkaban-
the prison where all of the darkest witches and wizards are sent to pay for their crimes.
The original concept for Dementors was thought up by JK Rowling as a way of representing
depression. As somebody who had experienced depression herself, Rowling wanted to create
a creature that personified all of the negative aspects of depression. In an interview, Rowling
was asked to describe what depression feels like- she said the following: ”It is that
absence of being able to envisage that you will ever be cheerful again. The absence of
hope. That very deadened feeling, which is so very different from feeling sad. Sad hurts
but it’s a healthy feeling. It’s a necessary thing to feel. Depression is very different.”
And that basically sums up what being in the presence of a dementor is like- they are like
moving clouds of depression and despair. The following excerpt describing Harry’s encounter
with Dementors in the Prisoner of Azkaban reinforces this definition:
“An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The
cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart. . . .
Harry’s eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn’t see. He was drowning in cold. There
was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downward, the roaring
growing louder...And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading
screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but couldn’t
. . . a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him.”
Okay- so now you’ve got a good idea of what Dementors are- but the question remains: how
can dark wizards like Voldemort control them? They certainly don’t sound like the type
of creature that one would be able to control- but as it happens, both the ministry of magic
(the good guys) and dark forces have controlled dementors at one point or another.
As it turns out, Dementors have served for a long time. The ministry of magic first ‘hired’
dementors back in 1718- when new Minister for Magic Damocles Rowle was elected. Rowle
saw the Dementors as a potential asset- and rather than trying to get rid of them, felt
that he could utilize their ‘abilities’ at Azkaban- helping to keep dark prisoners
in check. Knowing that the prison needed guards, Rowle felt that by using extant non-beings
like dementors, he would be able to prevent endangering the lives of witch or wizard guards.
Wizardkind protested the use of Dementors at first- but because of the near zero-percent
breakout rate at Azkaban, people eventually just moved on from the issue.
So Dementors ended up being the perfect guards-But WHY- you might ask now, would Dementors serve
the Ministry of Magic? Why would dark, ‘demented’ non-beings serve the ministry? Well- there
are a few reasons.
The main reason was that the Ministry allowed the Dementors to feed on the emotions of the
prisoners within its walls. This was one of the primary issues with using dementors at
Azkaban in the first place- as there are certainly some ethical issues to be considered here.
The only thing that Dementors want to do is feed- so it makes sense that, if handed to
them on a silver platter, they would jump at the opportunity. This was a win-win for
everyone, as it also served as an additional deterrent for dark wizards not to break wizarding
law in the first place. In my opinion, evil witches and wizards were probably far more
likely to break laws before the prospect of facing DEMENTORS.
The next, and lesser reason that Dementors followed Ministry orders was simply the fact
that the ministry held some level of control over them via the patronus charm. We see Umbridge
leveraging her Patronus to control Dementors in chapter 13 of the Deathly Hallows:
“At the foot of the platform, a bright-silver, long-haired cat prowled up and down, up and
down, up and down, and Harry realized that it was there to protect the prosecutors from
the despair that emanated from the Dementors: That was for the accused to feel, not the
accusers.”
A Patronus charm is produced when a witch or wizard casts the spell Expecto Patronum.
There are two types of patronus charms, corporeal and incorporeal, and the type that the witch
or wizard casts will depend on their experience / preference. The more basic form of the spell
is the incorporeal patronus, which assumes no animal form and simply resembles a burst
of white vapour or smoke, and the more advanced form of the spell is the conjuring of a corporeal
patronus. The purpose of a Patronus is almost exclusively to ward off Dementors- and its
usage dates back many many centuries. The reason that the patronus charm is so effective
against Dementors is that it basically represents everything that Dementor’s detest- light,
happiness and purity. Besides the patronus charm- there’s no real reason that Dementors
would follow Ministry instructions- though I am of the impression that IF the Dementors
did want to take over the ministry, they possibly could- at least for a little while, as not
every witch and wizard is actually capable of casting a patronus.
Now you might be asking- If the Patronus charm is how the ministry controls Dementors-then
how on earth do Dark wizards control them? MOST dark wizards are simply unable to cast
a patronus charm- and that’s because in order to cast one you need to harness happy
memories. Furthermore, it’s dangerous territory for dark wizards- as we learn in the tale
of Illyius and the dark wizard Raczidian that attempting to cast a patronus charm when you
are unworthy has dire consequences:
“Enraged, Raczidian decided to enter the fray himself, and tried to summon a Patronus
to ward off Illyius's mouse. However, he failed to remember that only the pure of heart can
produce a Patronus, and thus for the first time in history, it was revealed what happens
when a competent but unworthy wizard or witch attempts the spell. Maggots shot out of Raczidian's
wand and quickly devoured him as they engulfed his entire body.”
There are obviously exceptions- like Dolores Umbridge, who CAN cast a Patronus- but most
can’t. So, HOW have dark wizards historically controlled them?
As revealed in the following quote from Dumbledore, Death Eaters simply have more to offer then
the Ministry:
“The rest of us sleep less soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you have put
Lord Voldemort’s most dangerous supporters in the care of creatures who will join him
the instant he asks them!’ said Dumbledore. ‘They will not remain loyal to you, Fudge!
Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you
can! With the Dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be
hard pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago!”
If we look at the offerings of each side (good vs bad) in the context of a ‘meal’- the
ministry is offering dementors the souls of corrupt, dark witches and wizards that likely
don’t have much left for them to take- there isn’t much ‘meat’ left. Prisoners of
Azkaban are there for a reason- they’ve committed atrocities and made sacrifices in
their lives at the cost of their soul- some living cursed existences. For a dark creature
that thrives on darkness and despair, the soul of a regular witch or a wizard is much
more ‘appetizing’ to them, if that makes sense. The ministry is allowing them to feed
on a couple of Prisoners- Voldemort is offering them free reign to feed on the entire wizarding
population.
Furthermore- Dementors thrive in conditions of darkness and despair- and nothing brings
despair quite like rule under Lord Voldemort. Quite simply, Death Eaters and dark wizards
can offer dementors MORE than the ministry- so it’s just the logical move for dementors
to switch sides according to who is in, or will be in power. Though I must say that I
do wonder if the abundance of darkness offered by Voldemort’s regime would eventually backfire
on him. Dementors reproduce in conditions of despair/darkness, and in the environment
offered by Voldemort their numbers would surge. Given that dark witches/wizards are more or
less defenceless against dementors (no patronus)- are they really in a position of power?
And that’s it for this video! Did you ever wonder how dementors were controlled? Let
me know in the comment section below.
Until next time
Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on
the light.