Harry's Fight Against the Dementors

Harry's struggle to overcome the Dementors' effect on him, culminating in his successful Patronus Charm.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

First encounter on the Hogwarts Express

The Dementor's Arrival The Train Stops On the Hogwarts Express, the train suddenly stops and the lights go out. A hooded figure enters the compartment; it is a Dementor. Harry feels an intense cold and hears his mother's screams for the first time. He passes out, and only Lupin's intervention with a Patronus drives the creature away. The Aftermath Harry wakes to find himself on the floor, covered in sweat. Ron and Hermione are worried. Lupin gives him chocolate to recover. Harry is embarrassed and ashamed; he cannot understand why he reacted so badly. He learns that Dementors are Azkaban guards and that they are searching the train for Sirius Black. The Lingering Effect Harry is deeply affected by the experience. He hears his mother's voice pleading with Voldemort to spare him. This trauma will haunt him throughout the term, and he becomes determined to learn how to defend himself against them.

Collapse at the Quidditch match

The Match and the Fall The Storm Game During the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff Quidditch match, a violent thunderstorm rages. Harry is struggling to see the Snitch. Hermione casts a spell to make his glasses repel water, but then a massive group of Dementors appears on the field. The Dementor Attack As Harry dives for the Snitch, he sees over a hundred Dementors below him. They feed on his fear, and he hears his mother's screams again. He falls fifty feet from his broom and is saved only by Dumbledore's quick intervention. The match is lost, and Harry's Nimbus 2000 is destroyed by the Whomping Willow. The Humiliation Harry wakes in the hospital wing, devastated. He has lost the match and his broomstick. Worse, he feels weak and pathetic. Malfoy taunts him, and he struggles with the fear that he might be a coward. This event spurs him to seek Lupin's help.

Learning the Patronus Charm

The Lessons Begin Training with Lupin Harry asks Lupin to teach him how to fight Dementors. Lupin agrees and uses a Boggart disguised as a Dementor for practice. Harry struggles to produce a Patronus; he can only manage a wisp of silver. Each attempt brings back the screams of his mother and the memory of his father's death. The Happy Memory Problem Lupin instructs Harry to concentrate on a very happy memory. Harry tries the first time he flew a broomstick, then Gryffindor winning the House Cup, but neither is strong enough. He realizes that his desire to hear his parents' voices undermines his efforts. Progress and Frustration After several sessions, Harry can produce a shapeless silver cloud, but not a full Patronus. Lupin praises him, saying it is a huge achievement for his age. Harry is still dissatisfied; he wants to be able to drive the Dementors away completely. The lessons are emotionally draining, but they give him a sense of purpose.

Patronus at the Ravenclaw match

The Triumph The Fake Dementors During the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch match, three Dementors appear. Harry, ready for them, whips out his wand and shouts 'Expecto Patronum!' A huge silver something erupts from his wand, which he later learns is a stag. The Dementors are revealed to be Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint in disguise. Harry's Patronus scares them off. The Victory Harry catches the Snitch and wins the match. He is overjoyed that he didn't faint. The team celebrates, and Lupin congratulates him. Harry realizes that his Patronus is a stag, the same form as his father's Animagus. This connection deepens his understanding of his father. The Turning Point Harry's success boosts his confidence. He no longer fears the Dementors, and he knows that he can protect himself. The experience also gives him a glimpse of the power of happy memories, which will be crucial in the final confrontation.

Conjuring the stag Patronus

The Final Test The Dementor Swarm After Pettigrew escapes, Sirius is cornered by Dementors at the lake. Harry and Hermione find him, and Harry tries to summon a Patronus, but he is too weak. The Dementors close in, and one lowers its hood to perform the Kiss. Harry is paralyzed by fear. The Realization Just as the Dementor is about to suck his soul, Harry sees a silver stag galloping across the lake, driving the Dementors away. He thinks it is his father, but he later realizes that he himself conjured the Patronus. He had seen his future self from the past while using the Time-Turner. The Moment of Truth When Harry goes back in time, he hides and watches his past self. He understands that he must be the one to conjure the Patronus. He steps out from behind the bush and casts the spell perfectly, producing a full, corporeal stag. The Patronus charges the Dementors and saves Sirius, Hermione, and himself. This completes his mastery of the charm.

Start of the school year, September 1st

Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff, November

Thursdays evenings, late November to December

Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw, February

Night of the Dementor attack on the lake