Summary
- Harry Potter fans have been speculating for years about the Dementors' special attention to the title character.
- There have been a few theories as to why the soulless creatures wanted to kiss Harry so badly, but none as dark as the latest one proposed by a fan on Reddit.
- The Redditor explained that the Dementors had a very specific goal in mind when they went after Harry.
Fans of the Harry Potter universe have long noticed that Dementors, the hooded, soulless prison guards of the wizarding world who suck out human emotions and intelligence through a terrifying 'kiss,' leaving their victims in a vegetative state, have a special obsession with the title character.
Granted access to Hogwarts (against Dumbledore's judgment) during Harry's third year, they almost immediately begin stalking the boy, sneaking up on him during a Quidditch match and launching a full-scale attack when Harry and Sirius are separated from the group.
But why do the Dementors want to kiss Harry so badly? What's so special about him?
Popular Fan Theory
Fans have been speculating about this for years. The most agreed-upon theory is that the Dementors are attracted to the two 'souls' living in Harry's body. It is not revealed until the last book, but Voldemort left part of himself inside the boy when he killed his parents and tried to kill him, creating a living Horcrux.
Dementors can't see (they're eyeless), but they can sense emotions. So fans have theorized that they can feel two different souls in one body, and that made Harry a particularly delicious treat for them.
While this is plausible, a new fan theory offers a much darker but more intriguing explanation.
Voldemort's Allies
Redditor u/EpicTroop103 recently took to social media to share their theory, which includes a horrifying twist.
Dementors are considered 'ammortal' creatures, meaning they can't die because they were never alive in the first place. They feed on negative emotions and, being intelligent creatures, see both humanity and the wizarding community as prey. With one exception, according to the Redditor.
The new theory suggests that Dementors consider dark wizards with friendly natures to be allies, and don't prey on them. Of course, the only wizard we know of who has survived extreme transformation and become nearly immortal as a result of inhuman experimentation is Lord Voldemort.
So when Dementors join his side during the war, it is not just because he allows them to kiss as many people as they want, but because they feel in tune with his dark nature. Which brings us to Harry.
Dark Twist
Considering that the Dementors are Voldemort's allies, and they certainly want him to come back to power and set them free, it is likely that they were hunting Harry in Prisoner of Azkaban with a very specific goal in mind: to suck out his soul and leave his body as an empty shell for the part of Voldemort living inside to grow and take over.
What a stunning revelation that would be! This theory certainly raises the stakes for the third book/movie. Now, just the thought of Harry getting that close to the Dementor's kiss makes us sick. Thank goodness Lupin taught Harry the Patronus Charm!
Source: Reddit.