Harry Potter Theory: Why Dementors Hurt Harry So Badly

Dementors seemed to be especially drawn to Harry Potter and affect him the most, and a fan theory has an idea of why they were so attracted to the boy who lived. Readers were introduced to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World in 1997 with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and stayed in this world of magic for ten years. The Harry Potter film series allowed fans to stay a bit longer, with the final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, released in 2011.

Each book and film introduced the audience to new dangers that inhabited the Wizarding World, and one of the scariest ones were the Dementors. These are gliding, wraithlike dark creatures that feed on human happiness and generate feelings of depression and despair in those around them. Dementors can also consume a person’s soul through what’s called “the Dementor’s kiss”, leaving the victim in a permanent vegetative state. These creatures were formally introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when they entered the Hogwarts Express looking for Sirius Black and one of them was drawn to Harry, sucking the happiness out of him before being stopped by Remus Lupin.

Related: Harry Potter: The Real Meaning Behind The Dementors

It was later explained to Harry that Dementors had an especially bad effect on him due to his tragic childhood and plentiful bad memories, but a fan theory suggests there was more to that.

Why Dementors Hurt Harry Potter So Badly

A theory posted on Reddit suggests Dementors were drawn to Harry because they could sense the piece of Voldemort’s soul living in him. Harry is an “accidental horcrux”, created when the killing curse casted by Voldemort backfired, fragmented his soul, and sent a piece of it to Harry’s body. As such, Dementors could have affected him more because there was literally an extra piece of (someone else’s) soul in him, and one that was loaded with bad memories. Some fans believe that Harry couldn’t have possibly remembered his parents dying, so hearing the last moments of his parents’ lives before they were murdered weren’t exactly Harry’s memories.

A separate theory also posted on Reddit suggests that Lily screaming was actually Voldemort’s memory. Trying to kill Harry is as close to death as Voldemort had ever forgotten, which would have most likely been a very bad experience for him. This theory adds that Harry blacking out after every Dementor attack could have been because it was the piece of Voldemort’s soul which was in really bad pain. Like with many other fan theories, not only in the Harry Potter universe but in general, many fans think it could be possible while others believe there’s enough evidence in the books to prove that the piece of Voldemort’s soul in Harry has nothing to do with his susceptibility against Dementors. Ultimately, it’s an interesting idea to keep in mind when revisiting the books and films.

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Next: Theory: Killing Harry Potter Wasn't Voldemort's ONLY Goblet of Fire Plan