Boggart Inconsistency

[terri-testing.livejournal.com]

If I understand PoA correctly, Harry's Dementor-boggart both affects Harry and reacts the way a real Dementor would (magically speaking).


That is, what Harry experiences when confronting his Boggart is the same as what he does when confronting a Dementor: physical cold, hopelessness, loss of consciousness accompanied by access to memories (from where ever) that were previously consciously inaccessible. Moreover, he's told that his Patronus (if he could cast it strongly enough) could keep the Boggart at bay as it would a Dementor.

Say what? Lupin's Boggart is the moon, but he doesn't turn into a werewolf under its rays (or PoA, and the HP series, would have ended much sooner). Seamus's is a banshee, but Lupin doesn't seem worried the kids will all die if it screams.

And Lupin doesn't suggest to anyone else, even as a theoretical consideration, that the Boggart-in-the-shape-of-one's-fear might also possibly be banished or deflected by whatever spell would banish or destroy the feared object--Sectumsempra for Ron's spider, Un-ravel-us for the mummy, Evanescoing the corpse for Mrs. Weasley....

No, it's Riddikulus or nothing. For them, not for Harry.

Anyone come up with a Watsonian way to make this one consistent?

(And, btw, how come when Harry's anti-Dementor lessons with Lupin resulted in no improvement over time, nothing but his feeble patronus repeatedly "draining Harry of energy as he fought to keep it there," he never wondered if Lupin was secretly on Voldemort's side and trying to sabotage the lessons?)

Comments

[sharaz-jek.livejournal.com]

If this is the case, it implies that boggarts are sapient creatures* and Lupin dragged one out to be slowly killed. Which isn't entirely inconsistent with his personality (he even gets to sit back and not directly participate, just like he did with his friends).

* It also implies that Lupin was risking the souls of his pupils for this little amusement. Moving up from lives to souls is somewhat worrying.

[danajsparks.livejournal.com]

----If this is the case, it implies that boggarts are sapient creatures

That's assuming that dementors are sapient, which I don't think is entirely clear.

Neither dementors nor boggarts are included in FB, though, which suggests that both are classified as beings rather than beasts. So boggarts might be sapient even if they're completely unrelated to dementors.

----It also implies that Lupin was risking the souls of his pupils for this little amusement.

Not necessarily. It might be that the ability to suck souls is also the result of experimental breeding.

[sharaz-jek.livejournal.com]

That's assuming that dementors are sapient, which I don't think is entirely clear.

They can be communicated with. Voldemort can appeal to them and explain how under his rule they'll have no feeding restrictions. It's very likely they're sapient.

Neither dementors nor boggarts are included in FB, though, which suggests that both are classified as beings rather than beasts.

Or they're Spirits - we don't know what the dividing line is.